Going home
When the carriage stopped, Jingwan's heart was pounding in her chest.
She kept tugging at her sleeves the whole way, oblivious to the fact that she only realized something was wrong when she arrived at the Gao family's door. She tried to smooth out the wrinkled cuffs, but to no avail.
The driver called out, "Girl, we've arrived!" Feeling uneasy, she dared not delay. She pushed open the small door of the carriage and shakily descended the steps.
The vast mansion stood solemnly before Jingwan.
Although solemn, there was a gloomy atmosphere, like an old man in his twilight years.
She looked up at the high-hanging plaque and then at the magnificent mansion, and vaguely guessed why her mother hadn't wanted to come with her father back then.
How could a wealthy and powerful family have any thresholds for ordinary people like them to cross?
While she was lost in thought, she heard someone calling her name repeatedly. She peeked out from under her delicate neck and saw a stern-faced old woman standing in front of her.
Her hair was neatly combed, with not a single strand showing, all neatly bound up. She was dressed respectably and cleanly, and wore a green jade bracelet on her right hand, though it was only a pale, watery color.
She seems unapproachable.
During the inspection, Mother Shen also got a good look at Jingwan.
"Is it Miss Jingwan?"
Jingwan nodded: "Exactly."
Her reserved demeanor only made the old woman feel more disdainful.
She nodded reluctantly and turned to leave. After she was gone, she said, "Let's go, this servant will take you to see the old lady."
Jingwan followed slowly behind, afraid of being impolite. She didn't dare to look away the whole way. As they walked along the long corridor with the lotus pond and passed by the exquisite pavilions, she felt even more uneasy.
My uncle was considered a wealthy man in Yongye, and his house was said to have been renovated by a famous craftsman from the capital. However, compared to the Gao family, it was still rather rough.
Upon entering the hall, she saw a man sitting on a round-backed chair on the east side. Jingwan looked straight at him and saw that he was wearing a blue robe and a gold-embroidered sachet, and had an extraordinary demeanor.
Because of his age, he has a long beard, which makes him look even more masculine.
Jingwan felt the man looked familiar and was lost in thought when Madam Shen said from the side, "Hurry up and greet the adults."
She then realized that this was her father! She simply curtsied and said, "Greetings, Father."
The man said "good" twice, gripping the chair tightly with both hands, seemingly somewhat excited.
Gao Yun was indeed excited, after all, it was her daughter whom she hadn't seen for six years.
Unlike children born from arranged marriages, Jingwan was a romantic debt that Gao Yun willingly left behind in Yongye City in the Northwest.
During his military campaign in the Northwest, he met a woman named Feng who was mining jade at the foot of Kunlun Mountain. At that time, Feng was seventeen years old. Although she was born into a poor family, she was beautiful and charming. Gao Yun fell in love with her at first sight. Later, Feng gave birth to a child, but she was unwilling to return to Pingdu with Gao Yun. She only took the child and stayed in Yongye. Gao Yun went east alone to return.
Feng's parents died early, and she only had one older brother to depend on for survival.
To prevent her from living a miserable life, Gao Yun helped her brother become a jade merchant. His business prospered and his wealth increased, ensuring that Feng's family was well-off.
When Jingwan was seven years old, Gao Yun returned to Yongye again, intending to bring his nephew Lu Chang, whose parents had both died on the battlefield, back to Pingdu. Taking this opportunity, he also sought out Feng Shi and persuaded her...
Let's go back together.
Madam Feng still refused, and was even more unwilling to let Jingwan go back with her biological father, thus ending the father-daughter relationship once again.
It wasn't until April of this year that Gao Yun sent a letter to the Northwest, once again bringing his daughter back to Pingdu.
The Feng family acted efficiently this time, sending the person back as soon as they received the letter.
Just as Gao Yun was about to say something, a woman stepped over the threshold and slowly came in. The words he was about to say slipped into his throat, and he simply stood up and asked, "Weren't you unwell? Why did you come here again?"
There was no harshness in his tone; in fact, it even seemed a bit ingratiating.
Jingwan turned her head and saw that the person who came was also looking at her.
That look was even colder than the old woman who had brought her in. Jingwan bit her lip and lowered her head.
“Now that they’ve arrived, if I, as their mother, don’t come to see them, wouldn’t people say I’m being harsh on my illegitimate daughter?”
She looked at Jingwan, her gaze suddenly turning as if it were stung by ice thorns: "Lift your head up so I can see you."
The weather in June was sweltering, which made the newcomer's palms sweat profusely.
Jingwan admitted that she had always been timid, and this was quite a big occasion for her. She slowly raised her head and let the woman look her over.
When Wang Shi finally got a clear look at that little face, she was so angry she wanted to grind her teeth to powder.
Her fingernails dug tightly into her palm, as if she wanted to rip the flesh out of her hand.
Although she had never seen the Northwest enchantress, she had heard the wives of her husbands' colleagues who had accompanied them on their westward expeditions gossip about her. They said she was extremely beautiful, and many men were infatuated with her. The soldiers on the westward expedition often went to the river to watch the enchantress go into the water to retrieve jade. Even General Gao Yun at the time could not escape the beauty's gaze and secretly conceived a child with her, leaving behind this little illegitimate daughter.
Seeing the young fox spirit who hadn't yet fully grown up, Wang could guess just how alluring the woman's face was to men.
She's already extraordinary now; in a few years, won't she become another enchantress?
"Twelve already?" Wang asked coldly, suppressing her anger.
Jingwan nodded.
Wang snorted coldly. Sure enough, he had already hooked up with this little woman as soon as he arrived in the Northwest! He didn't even wait a moment longer. At that time, she was already pregnant with Qian'er and Yun'er, and her husband's heart and body were occupied by other women.
The more she looked at it, the more irritating it became. Wang left with the words "That's it" and refused to say another word to her new daughter.
Seeing his wife like this, Gao Yun didn't say much. He instructed the housekeeper to take good care of Jingwan and also to give the mother-in-law, Chen, to his daughter.
"Get a good rest tonight, and go see your grandmother tomorrow morning."
Jingwan obediently replied yes and left with the butler.
She lived in a side courtyard; the house was small, but it was clean.
I haven't had dinner yet. At this age, I'm still growing, and my stomach is growling.
When Chen's mother heard this voice, she secretly rolled her eyes at her, and waited a long time before bringing in the food.
Two steamed buns, a small dish of pickled vegetables, and a bowl of cold cabbage soup.
It was still quite hot, so eating some cold food wasn't a big deal. Being young and not picky about food, she finished her meal in no time.
With her stomach full, Jingwan wanted to go outside for a stroll to digest her food. Her mother never allowed her to sit or lie down after eating; she always made her move around more.
It was still light out, and I really couldn't fall asleep.
Unexpectedly, after only a few steps out of the courtyard, he saw his newly recognized father coming towards him. He seemed to be afraid of being seen, and his steps were somewhat hurried.
Sure enough, Gao Yun asked her why her mother didn't come along.
Jingwan asked in confusion, then slowly said, "Father, don't you know? Mother has been gone for two years."
Upon hearing this, Gao Yun was shocked: "You mean...your mother has already...already..."
Jingwan nodded: "Two years ago, my mother fell seriously ill. She couldn't be cured for a long time and passed away not long afterward."
Seeing Gao Yun's distraught appearance, Jing Wan guessed that her uncle had not told her father about her mother's death.
After a moment's thought, she knew why.
My uncle is doing very well in business in the Northwest thanks to this high-ranking relative in Pingdu. He must be worried that my father will completely abandon the Feng family if he finds out that my mother has passed away, which is why he has been keeping it a secret.
Gao Yun waved his hand, said no more to her, and staggered away, making Jing Wan, who was so young, sigh.
While in the Northwest, she and her mother lived under her uncle's care, and life was difficult. However, neither she nor her mother ever complained about this nobleman who lived far away in Pingdu. He was not the kind of person who would abandon his wife and children; it was they who chose to stay in Yongye and not leave with him.
He was not a heartless person; he sent gold and silver to the Northwest and also helped his uncle arrange for someone to take care of the Feng family's business.
But only now did Jingwan realize that her mother's choice was right.
This noble lady from the capital is truly pitiful. She came to ask about her mother's recent situation all by herself just now, probably to avoid the many eyes and ears in the mansion. She was probably afraid that her wife would find out and get angry with her!
A grown man, yet he doesn't dare let others know who he's hiding in his heart.
Thankfully. Thankfully, Mother didn't come.
But her daughter came along, and she doesn't know if she made a mistake in taking this step.
But her uncle's family could no longer accept her. If she didn't come to the Gao family, where else could she go?
With her future uncertain, she returned to the courtyard filled with sorrow.
She certainly didn't sleep well that night. The unfamiliar bed and blankets, the unfamiliar scent, and the thought of meeting that old lady early the next morning weighed heavily on her mind. When she woke up the next day, Jingwan couldn't help but yawn a few times.
Early in the morning, Madam Shen was waiting outside, ordering two maids to help her wash up.
She used to do these chores herself, but after entering the grand mansion, she was afraid of making a mistake and being ridiculed, so she obediently followed the maid.
After washing up, Jingwan was led to the hall from yesterday. But she didn't expect that the scene was so grand today. She could hear laughter and chatter even when she was still a dozen steps away. She looked up and glanced at the hall. Wow, how come there are so many people!
My heart was pounding, and even my legs felt a little weak.
Fortunately, the woman from yesterday was less cold today and led her to meet everyone in the mansion. Only then did Jingwan realize that all the masters of the Duke's mansion had come.
Seated in the main seat was the elderly Madam Yang, a woman in her sixties with completely white hair. However, having lived a life of luxury for decades, she was remarkably young compared to other elderly women of the same age in the Northwest.
I wonder if all the noblewomen of Pingdu are like the women of the Gao family, always carrying an air of arrogance. With a slight upturn of the corner of their mouths and a slight curve of their eyes, they all exude an air of haughtiness that looks down on everyone else.
Just like this old lady, Jingwan only glanced at her and felt that every wrinkle on the old woman's face was looking down on her.
Standing beside the old lady was Lady Zhang, the wife of the Duke of Jing, who also exuded arrogance.
Her husband, the Duke of Jing, had passed away long ago, and she had been a widow for many years. Although she only had one son and one daughter, she had aged considerably.
Next were Zhang's two children, fourteen-year-old Gao Bojun and thirteen-year-old Gao Shijun.
Bo Jun was not tall, but had a refined and scholarly appearance, and looked very much like his mother. As the eldest son of the Duke, the Duke's mansion would request permission for him to inherit the title once he turned seventeen.
Standing on the other side were Gao Qian and Gao Yun, the children of Jingwan's new mother, Wang.
Gao Yun was born out of wedlock, not the old lady's biological son, and therefore could not inherit the title. In his youth, he joined the army and was granted the title of General Zhenbian, a title with no real power. Later, he married Wang, a merchant, and they had a son and a daughter.
The brother and sister seemed to dislike her very much, especially Gao Yun, who coldly turned her face away.
Jingwan felt a little embarrassed, but could only pretend not to see it, while worrying about how she would live her life in the future.
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