After Ding Mu left, Ding Xiu stood up, walked to Yan Qingqing, and knelt down on the ground with a thud, saying, "Auntie, I'm sorry."
The servants in the household, not knowing proper etiquette, entered my aunt's house while wearing mourning clothes, causing offense. Ding Xiu apologizes to my aunt.
According to the custom of the Great Yan Dynasty, if someone in the family dies, one cannot enter another's house for three days unless the death is announced.
Ding Xiu is a sensitive child. He saw Yan Qingqing frowning and thought she was unhappy.
Yan Qingqing quickly helped him up and said, "You child, respect the dead, don't talk about offending others. Your father and I have a long-standing friendship."
I should go and pay my respects to your grandmother since she passed away.
Besides, I was the one who let him in, so you don't need to worry about it.
Ding Xiu breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this, as long as Yan Qingqing wouldn't blame him.
Even if Ding Xiuxin is incredibly kind, he can no longer stay here to eat after what happened to the Ding family.
In the end, he went home with Chome.
After Ding Mu left, Yan Qingqing instructed Ruyi, "Go and inform the young mistress that the old lady of the Ding family has passed away. Tell her to prepare a funeral gift. Tomorrow, the eldest young master and I will go to the Ding residence to pay our respects."
Upon hearing this, Ruyi quickly nodded in agreement.
Yan Qingqing lost her appetite and, seeing that everyone had almost finished eating, ordered the servants to remove the food.
Because of Li Xiangjian's letter, Yan Qingqing slept exceptionally soundly that night.
The next morning, Yan Qingqing began to dress up.
Today we're going to pay our respects to Old Mrs. Ding, so dressing up in something flashy really won't do.
Ruyi found her a plain white brocade dress embroidered with chrysanthemums, and she wore a jade and crystal hairpin in her hair.
There is no other decoration.
As the saying goes, "To look good, wear mourning clothes." While the saying may not be pleasant to hear, it reflects reality.
Even in this outfit, Yan Qingqing somehow managed to look somewhat frail.
Yan Qingqing also sighed, "Clothes really do make the man."
After breakfast, Yan Qingqing prepared to set off with Li Xiangping and Li Xiangan. Yuan Huiniang said apologetically from the side, "Thank you for your hard work, Mother."
In Yuan Huiniang's view, Yan Qingqing was now a fifth-rank official with a title, and although they had some connections with the Ding family, it was inappropriate for Yan Qingqing to make the trip to pay her respects to Old Madam Ding.
But now that she is pregnant, she has no choice but to rely on Yan Qingqing.
How could Yan Qingqing not see through Yuan Huiniang's thoughts? She smiled and comforted her, saying, "It's not hard work at all. The capital we started with was given to us by Old Madam Ding. Every family has its share of old troubles."
It's none of our business, and we can't interfere.
Moreover, Old Madam Ding was an elder, and we had some prior acquaintance with Master Ding. My presence at the funeral would better prove that our family were loyal and righteous.”
Yuan Huiniang nodded in agreement. She was only thinking about how hard Yan Qingqing had worked and hadn't considered all of this.
The three of them soon arrived in the county town. Yan Qingqing had already sent someone to find out that Master Ding and his family had moved back to the Ding family's ancestral home. So A'da drove the carriage straight to the Ding residence.
The entire Ding residence was decorated in pure white, shrouded in solemnity.
Perhaps because everyone thought the Ding family had fallen on hard times, not many people came to pay their respects.
The gatekeeper saw Yan Qingqing and the others get off the carriage and quickly went inside to report.
Since the new doorman didn't know Yan Qingqing, the first person to come out to greet her was Butler Ding.
Upon seeing Yan Qingqing, he excitedly knelt down on the ground and said, "Greetings, Mingzhao Ling."
He never expected that Yan Qingqing would come to pay her respects in person.
Yan Qingqing said, "Steward Ding, please get up."
It seems that Master Ding heard that Yan Qingqing had arrived, so he came out to greet her with his wife and Ding Xiaopang.
Master Ding was truly filial; he cried until his eyes were red and swollen.
Seeing him like this, Yan Qingqing could only offer words of comfort: "The dead cannot be brought back to life, please accept my condolences, Master Ding."
Master Ding shook his head with a wry smile and said, "I have actually thought it through, but the Ding family's fortune has already been largely squandered in my hands. I'm afraid I won't have the face to face the ancestors of the Ding family in the future."
It's rare that Mingzhao would still show some respect by coming to offer condolences. This made Ding feel that the world wasn't so cold-hearted after all.
After saying that, he instructed Madam Ding to treat Yan Qingqing well.
He personally hosted Li Xiangping and Li Xiang'an.
Magistrate Ling, who was at the county government office, also heard the news of Old Madam Ding's passing.
He was only casually acquainted with Master Ding, and said nonchalantly, "I've heard a bit about the Ding family's affairs. I heard that the old lady is muddle-headed and spoils her grandson, ruining the Ding family's fortune."
"However, death absolves all debts. Send the offerings you prepared as a token of my respect."
As a county magistrate, Ling Ziyuan inevitably had to deal with some wealthy local gentry.
Although the Ding family has fallen on hard times, no one could say anything even if he didn't send a sacrificial offering. However, in order to facilitate future work, Magistrate Ling still decided to send Steward Ling on the trip.
Butler Ling was a gossip, and somehow he heard that the Ding family hadn't completely fallen into ruin. He told Magistrate Ling that the Ding family's previous move out to sell their property was just a ruse to mislead Old Madam Ding.
Magistrate Ling listened and said approvingly, "It seems that this Master Ding does have some brains after all?"
Steward Ling nodded, then said, "This old servant heard that Ming Zhao sent someone to personally offer condolences."
Magistrate Ling frowned and asked, "How come she has such a good relationship with the Ding family?"
Butler Ling shook his head and said, "I haven't heard of them having much contact usually."
Magistrate Ling stood up and said, "Let's go take a look."
Before Steward Ling could react, Magistrate Ling walked out first.
Butler Ling: ...
His feeling was right. Whenever Mingzhao was involved, his own family members took it very seriously. Look, as soon as they heard that Mingzhao had gone to pay their respects to Old Madam Ding, they ran faster than anyone else.
Butler Ling felt that her master hadn't gone to pay his respects to Old Madam Ding, but rather to see Yan Qingqing.
This idea startled Butler Ling, who quickly stopped himself from thinking about it.
They followed Magistrate Ling to the Ding residence to offer condolences.
Magistrate Ling had no idea how much benefit his momentary impulse would bring him in the future.
When Magistrate Ling arrived, Yan Qingqing and the others had already finished their memorial service.
As Master Ding was seeing Yan Qingqing and the others off, he sincerely said, "The Ding family was able to overcome this calamity thanks to the eunuch Mingzhao. I will remember this."
Yan Qingqing waved her hand, telling him he didn't need to do that.
Magistrate Ling overheard their conversation from afar and remarked that it was because Master Ding had invited Yan Qingqing as his strategist, which explained everything.
Yan Qingqing was the first to see Magistrate Ling. She gave Ding Yuanwai a look and said, "No destruction, no construction. Perhaps your time has come."
When Master Ding saw Magistrate Ling, he was also very surprised. Magistrate Ling was notoriously willful. In the past, he had tried to curry favor with Magistrate Ling many times, but Magistrate Ling had never even glanced at him. Today, however, he actually took the initiative to come to his door.
So, Master Ding, disregarding his grief, quickly stepped forward to pay his respects to Magistrate Ling.
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