Liu Yaoyu felt much better. Her voice was hoarse from crying. "Yingyue Pavilion is right next to big brother's yard. I have wanted to move in for a long time, but you have always refused. How come Yu Jiao can live in Yingyue Pavilion after she came here, which is only separated from big brother's Fufeng Pavilion by a wall?"
Madam Liu was silent for a moment. She had never expected her little daughter to care about this. She smoothed Liu Yaoyu's bangs and patiently explained, "Mother is doing this for your own good. Although you and your older brother are siblings, you are now grown up and there are differences between men and women. It is not convenient for you to live too close to each other."
Liu Yaoyu caught the loophole in the words and said, "Yu Jiao is not a child anymore, how can she live so close to her big brother?"
"Silly girl, you are my daughter, so I will naturally make more plans for you." Madam Liu said, "It was your eldest brother's idea to let her move into Yingyue Pavilion. Your grandmother agreed, so I can't say anything more."
Liu Yaoyu wanted to say something, but Madam Liu held her little face and said, "People from your family will be here soon, your elder sister will be back too, and your father's disciples will come to congratulate you. Go back to the courtyard and dress up. How can you be seen like this by outsiders?"
Liu Yaoyu had no choice but to stand up and said with a pursed mouth, "I understand. I won't bring shame to my family."
"If your big brother knew that you were still crying secretly at your age, he would definitely laugh at you."
Mrs. Liu's words made Liu Yaoyu burst into laughter. If her elder brother, who was a calm man, knew that she was crying in private, he would definitely think that she was being delicate.
He is so nice to Yu Jiao now, I must not let him know that I feel neglected and wronged because of Yu Jiao's return, otherwise the big brother will definitely think that I am narrow-minded and be unhappy.
Liu Yaoyu left the front hall and called the maid back to the yard to wash and dress up. After she left, Mrs. Liu sighed softly. It was such a sin that she disliked Liu Ziqi so much, but her two children had a deep affection for him.
Nanny Wei came in and said, "Madam, the servants have already arranged everything in the ancestral hall. You need to go over there and see if everything is ready."
Madam Liu stood up and asked Nanny Wei to help her go to the ancestral hall in the backyard.
The Liu Mansion is a large courtyard with nine courtyards and nine entrances. The front three courtyards, the middle three courtyards, and the back three courtyards are connected from front to back. The front three entrances are all halls, built with nanmu, spacious and grand. Behind the hall is the inner house, and behind that is the back garden.
The mansion faces south and the opposite hall is finely carved. The entire south wall is covered with square and oblique stones, and the shrine is embedded in the wall. This is the ancestral hall where the Liu family holds sacrifices.
Although it was early winter, there were still many flowers blooming in the garden. Behind the garden, it was divided into the east courtyard and the west courtyard. Madam Liu and Liu Yaoyu's courtyards were both in the east courtyard, while Yingyue Pavilion where Yu Jiao was arranged to live was in the west courtyard, right next to Fufeng Pavilion where Liu Ziqi lived.
Old Madam Liu loved to worship Buddha and liked quietness. Her Baoshou Hall was located at the back of the garden, far away from the hall in front. She was probably afraid that the coming and going of people in the mansion would disturb the old lady.
Liu Ziqi brought Yu Jiao into Yingyue Pavilion. There were tall ginkgo trees planted on both sides of the courtyard, a number of azaleas planted on the inside of the courtyard wall, and rockery decoration. The outer corridors faced each other and were decorated very elegantly, as if they had been renovated not long ago.
There were several maids standing in the yard, seemingly waiting for the owner of the yard.
Seeing Yu Jiao and Liu Ziqi come in, several maids hurried over to her and knelt down to pay their respects.
Yu Jiao only took a quick look and was quite surprised to see that there were more than a dozen maids serving her. How could she need so many people serving her? Moreover, she came from an era without maids and slaves, and was not used to ordering people around.
After asking the maids to stand up, Liu Ziqi said to the two maids dressed as head maids standing in front, "This is the third young lady of the mansion, the master you will serve in the future."
The two maids knelt down again and saluted Yu Jiao. The older maid in pink dress was named Jianjia, with a gentle appearance. The maid in lotus-white dress who looked a little cold was named Bailu.
Yu Jiao followed Liu Ziqi into the house and said to her, "These two girls are both skilled in martial arts and smart. If you go out to work in the future, you can take them with you."
Yu Jiao nodded slightly.
Yu Fuling was sitting in the hall feeling awkward. When she saw Yu Jiao coming in, she breathed a sigh of relief as if she had seen a relative. "Yu Jiao, you're finally back."
"Sister, have you had your meal?" Yu Jiao then remembered that when she was having meal with the Liu family in the front hall just now, she had forgotten that Yu Fuling was still waiting for her in the yard.
Yu Fuling smiled and said, "It's time to eat. The sisters in the room brought me a lot of food."
The Liu family’s meals were very sumptuous, but Yu Fuling was not used to having someone serving her, so she was very restrained when eating and couldn’t move freely.
What's more, the furnishings in the hall were very valuable. Yu Fuling was afraid that she would be too heavy-handed and accidentally break something, so she didn't dare to move around.
The ugly boy, who had changed into a servant's clothes, also said, "I have eaten too."
I guess Liu Ziqi had instructed the maids early in the morning and did not forget to prepare meals for Yu Fuling and Chou Ge'er. He was always so careful and thoughtful.
"Your wing room is next to it. I have had people rearrange the furnishings in the room. Everything is new. It will take a while to open the ancestral hall. Do you want to take a short rest?" Liu Ziqi said.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
