Chapter 12: Decent "Yan girl is so lucky, she has to...
Nanny Jiang returned to Cuiwei Courtyard and reported the situation in Chuyun Courtyard to Qi.
After a busy day, Qi finally had some free time. After listening to Nanny Jiang's report, she said nonchalantly, "I understand."
After she finished speaking, she thought for a moment and then said to Nanny Jiang, "Tell the kitchen to prepare a feast. Invite sister-in-law and Ruorou to come over for dinner tonight."
Nanny Jiang raised her eyes in surprise. Although the Madam didn't say it, she had served the Madam for many years, so how could she not know that the Madam was unhappy about her aunt, Madam Zhan, coming to Beijing for refuge.
Regardless of whether sister-in-law Zhan has done Madam a favor or not, Madam does not want her to repay the favor.
Seeing the surprise in Nanny Jiang's eyes, Madam Qi sighed softly and complained, "Do you think I'm willing to entertain you and keep you busy? It's because my nephew doesn't know his limits that he sent someone to pass a message to Bo'er, suggesting that we go out to relax. Bo'er hasn't seen him since he was a child. He caught a cold when he came back from the banquet yesterday. He's been coughing since he got home, so he declined the invitation on the pretext of feeling unwell."
"But you also know that my sister-in-law is not an open-minded person. After Bo'er's refusal, I don't know what she thinks of me, her sister-in-law. She will definitely invite her over to have a chat, so that she won't say that I, her sister-in-law, am putting on airs and ruining my reputation."
Nanny Jiang thought for a moment and said, "Why not call the third young lady over to keep you company?"
Qi didn't like Cui Lingyan, and besides, there were some things Cui Lingyan couldn't say to her and Zhan, so she shook her head and said, "Miss Yan has gone back to her own home. She's not a guest, so there's no need to specially invite her over."
"Besides, I haven't been back to the Qi family for many years, so I don't know how my mother is doing. I have to ask my sister-in-law about the Qi family's affairs."
Nanny Jiang understood what her mistress meant, so she sent someone to the kitchen to pass on the message, and then went to invite Mrs. Zhan in person.
In the evening, Zhan and Qi Ruorou came to Cuiwei Courtyard together.
After some polite greetings, Qi and her group sat down at the table.
The three of them ate and chatted until it was getting dark, then they dispersed. Qi sent her maid Qiu Rong to personally escort them back to their residence.
After returning home, Zhan drank half a cup of warm water and sat at the table with a frown on her face, not knowing what she was thinking about.
Seeing that her mother was worried, Qi Ruorou asked with some confusion, "What are you thinking about? But you just drank a few glasses of wine, and now you have a headache?"
Zhan came to her senses and hesitated for a moment before speaking, "We've come to the Ningshou Marquis's Mansion, but we haven't met your uncle yet. Your aunt invited us to a banquet at this time today, and during the meal she didn't even ask the maids around her if your uncle had returned. If I'm guessing correctly, your uncle might be a little distant from your aunt now."
"You know that your aunt was favored by your uncle because she bore a resemblance to Cui Linghui's mother, Madam Mu. He brought her home and even promised her the position of heir. As the saying goes, no flower lasts forever, and no woman is happy forever. Look at this situation. Your aunt may not be living well in this mansion. She's just a marquis' wife, for nothing."
When Zhan said this, her eyes fell on Qi Ruorou and she smiled and said, "Our Ruorou is talented, beautiful, and everything else is good. If your aunt can find a good family for you and help you find a good future in the capital, you can also be a help to your aunt in the future."
Qi Ruorou's eyes flickered with joy, but then she thought of Cui Lingyan, and her joy faded a bit. She said with some trepidation, "Aunt has her own daughter. Could she leave Sister Yan behind and plan a marriage for my niece?"
Zhan smiled and said, "Your aunt doesn't like Yan, so I'm afraid there will be some friction between them. Besides, Yan is the legitimate daughter of the Marquis's family, and her marriage is not something your aunt can decide alone. It will most likely require the approval of Madam Zhai, your grandmother. As for you, if your aunt is willing to pay attention, things will go more smoothly."
"Mother doesn't ask for anything else, only that your aunt bring you, her niece, along with her when she attends banquets. Then, if you behave well, you might even catch the eye of some lady."
"Back then, your aunt was able to rise from a humble family like the Qi family to become the wife of the Ningshou Marquis's mansion. Ruorou, you might also have the possibility of marrying into a high-ranking family."
"When the time comes, if your brother marries Yan, our Qi family will surely prosper."
Qi Ruorou's cheeks flushed and she became a little excited. After a while, she finally spoke, "My daughter just arrived at the mansion. I wonder when I'll have the chance to go out to the banquet with my aunt?"
Zhan patted her hands and said, "Don't worry, there will always be a chance."
......
Five days passed in the blink of an eye, and Cui Lingyan's life in the Marquis's mansion was uneventful. Every morning, she would go to Cuiwei Courtyard to pay her respects to Qi Shi, and then go with Qi Shi to Xilan Courtyard to pay her respects to her grandmother, Old Lady Zhai.
After a few days, he became familiar with everyone in the mansion. Even his younger brother Cui Shenbo was not as awkward to meet as he was when they first met.
One day, Cui Lingyan was chatting with Old Madam Zhai when she heard hurried footsteps outside. A maid soon came in and reported, "Old Madam, someone from the palace has sent word that the flowers in the Imperial Garden are in bloom, and the Empress Dowager is hosting a flower-viewing banquet and summoning all the noble ladies to the palace. The date is set for tomorrow."
"The messenger also said that the Empress Dowager heard that our third daughter had returned to the capital, and she asked her to enter the palace with the eldest daughter."
As the nanny finished speaking, everyone's eyes in the room fell on Cui Lingyan.
A hint of surprise flashed across Cui Linghui's eyes. She wondered how the Empress Dowager could have heard of Cui Lingyan. After all, Cui Lingyan had just returned to the capital, and there was nothing worthy of the Empress Dowager's attention.
She thought again of the day when Nanny Sun came to visit the patient, and it was Cui Lingyan who had accompanied her all the way to Yingyue Courtyard. She wondered if Nanny Sun had noticed Cui Lingyan's appearance and reported it to Dou, the wife of the Duke of Wei. Then, when Dou came to the palace, she casually mentioned Cui Lingyan to the Empress Dowager, which made her want to meet Cui Lingyan?
Thinking of this, Cui Linghui felt a little uncomfortable. In the past, when the empress dowager sent people to deliver messages, the only person she mentioned was her, the eldest daughter of the marquis's family.
Now that Cui Lingyan has just returned, there is one more person, taking away the dignity that belongs to her?
Cui Linghui thought this in his heart, but smiled and said to his grandmother, Madam Zhai: "Grandmother, it is probably because Sister Yan is beautiful that the Queen Mother heard about it, and she also wants to meet her."
Although Mrs. Zhai was somewhat surprised by the Queen Mother's order, she was happy in her heart that Cui Lingyan had received such an honor just after returning to Beijing.
She also wanted to take this opportunity to let Cui Lingyan show her face in front of others, to let others see that although Cui Lingyan was raised in the Qi family since she was a child, she had no problem with etiquette and rules. She looked like she was brought up in pampering, and their Ningshou Marquis Mansion did not treat this legitimate daughter badly.
If Cui Lingyan's beauty could catch the eye of a noble lady or an old lady, and they wanted to make her their daughter-in-law or granddaughter-in-law, it would be a good thing for their Ningshou Marquis Mansion.
Thinking of this, Old Lady Zhai smiled and said to Cui Lingyan, "Miss Yan is truly blessed to have received such honor upon returning to the capital."
Then she continued, "You've never been to the palace before, so I'm asking your elder sister to give you some pointers and tell you some of the palace rules. You just came back, and the embroidery room hasn't had time to make you a dress yet. Choose a dress from your elder sister, and ask the needlework staff to alter it if it doesn't fit you."
As Old Lady Zhai spoke, she turned to Madam Qi, who was sitting below her, and said, "You should also pay more attention to this matter. Miss Yan will have to go out to visit guests in the future. Since she needs clothes made, why not make a few for your niece Ruorou as well? Don't let people think our mansion is stingy."
"If I had known that Miss Yan was going back home, I should have prepared these things earlier."
Qi nodded, knowing how to hear the reproach in her mother-in-law's words.
But she has been busy with so many things in the mansion these days. Cui Linghui even fell into the water and fell ill, and she has to take care of Cui Linghui. How could she have the time to remember these little things?
What's more, she didn't expect that the empress dowager would ask Cui Lingyan to enter the palace with her. Now her mother-in-law blamed her for not paying attention, and she felt very wronged.
The room was bustling with activity, but the second girl, Cui Lingyin, who was standing aside, was forcing a smile, feeling very uncomfortable in her heart.
In the past, she didn't think much of Cui Linghui's honor. Even if she felt sad, she could comfort herself. That was because Cui Linghui was engaged to Lu Bingzhi, and she would be the future wife of the Prince of Weiguo. It was reasonable for the Empress Dowager to value her grandson's wife.
But the honor the Empress Dowager gave Cui Lingyan today was like a slap in the face to her, letting her know clearly that she was looked down upon because of her illegitimate status.
Cui Lingyin felt a little depressed. Listening to the lively laughter and congratulations to Cui Lingyan in the room, she wished she could find a hole in the ground to crawl into.
Because she had to prepare to enter the palace, Madam Zhai did not keep many of them for long. She talked to them for a while and then asked them to disperse.
Cui Lingyan followed Cui Linghui out of Xilan Courtyard and went directly to Yingyue Courtyard where Cui Linghui lived.
Looking at the backs of the two people leaving, Cui Lingyin's eyes were moist and jealous.
The maidservant, Hong Jian, was well aware of her young lady's worries. She tugged at Cui Lingyin's sleeve and said in a low voice, "I will accompany the young lady back. Don't let anyone see that she's unhappy. Otherwise, if word gets to the old lady, she won't know what she'll think of her."
Cui Lingyin felt bitter in her heart, but she also knew the difficulties of being a concubine's daughter in this marquis's mansion.
She nodded and said softly, "Originally, I didn't care about my younger sister, Cui Lingyan. I just thought she was pitiful. Even though she was born of a legitimate family, she was sent to live with others in the Qi family because of my aunt's favoritism. I don't know how many grievances she suffered since she was a child. But now it seems that she doesn't need the pity of a cousin born of a concubine. She is a legitimate daughter. This alone is so much better than me."
"The Queen Mother's slap really woke me up."
Hong Jian was not in a position to respond, so she whispered soothingly, "Young lady, please be at ease. Although you are a concubine's daughter, you have been registered under the name of the Madam since you were young. Your etiquette and rules are much better than those of the Third Young Lady."
"Not to mention, the Third Miss is so strong that even her biological mother, the First Lady, has concerns. I'm afraid this will hinder her future marriage. What's the point of gaining this respectability for now? A good marriage in the future is more important."
After listening to Hong Jian's words, Cui Lingyin's expression eased a little.
Yes, even though Cui Lingyan had the honor of entering the palace today, everyone in the capital knew that she was not liked by her biological mother, Qi, and was sent to the Qi family to grow up since she was young.
How could those nobles look down upon Cui Lingyan? Not to mention, Cui Lingyan had a bad reputation because of her biological mother, Qi.
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