Chapter 182 A Loving Mother (Second Update)
Xiao Liulang wished he could disappear into a crack in the ground.
Gu Jiao left in a great mood, humming a little tune while washing the dishes.
The next day.
Xiao Liulang and Xiao Jingkong went to the Imperial Academy to study.
Gu Xiaoshun ate quickly, while Gu Yan ate less. The two of them had already picked up their schoolbags and left.
Xiao Liulang didn't take Zheng Siye's expulsion document to heart at all. He was too familiar with the rules of the Imperial Academy. Zheng Siye's tricks could fool others but not him. A real expulsion document must have the signature of the Chancellor.
It is worth mentioning that after Zheng Siye was involved in the incident of bullying students and bribing the account book, his signature as the chief minister was taken back by His Majesty.
Zheng Siye's real plan was to intimidate Xiao Liulang and make Xiao Liulang and Xiao Jingkong leave on their own, and then report it as if they had voluntarily dropped out of school.
Xiao Liulang escorted Xiao Jingkong to the entrance of the elementary school: "Don't cause any more trouble today."
Xiao Jingkong's eyes darted around: "How about tomorrow?"
Xiao Liulang: "..."
Is it true that the older they get, the more troublesome they become?
"Go to class!" Xiao Liulang said sternly.
"Oh." Xiao Jingkong slowly walked away, carrying his book bag.
"Wait," Xiao Liulang called out to him, "Hand over the stones in your pocket."
Xiao Jingkong said in a serious tone, "Little Stone said it wants to go to class today."
Xiao Liulang said expressionlessly, "Want to use the slingshot too?"
Xiao Jingkong choked, "How did you know I brought a slingshot? I hid it so well!"
Xiao Liulang: Hehehe, I was fooled by you once, do you think I'll fool you a second time?
In the end, Xiao Jingkong's equipment was successfully taken away by Xiao Liulang.
Little Jingkong, carrying his book bag, walked forward with his head drooping, sighing as he went.
well.
...that's quite difficult.
Xiao Liulang looked at the slingshot in his hand and his lips twitched. The little guy really has more and more tricks up his sleeve as he gets older.
First, he was angered by His Majesty, that scumbag, and then he was frightened by Marquis Xuanping, that great killing god. Zheng Siye is truly ill, and he won't be able to cause trouble for at least a month.
There was less snow in the first month of the lunar calendar than in the twelfth month, but the weather did not fully warm up.
Madam Yao sat in the warm pavilion making clothes for Gu Jiao. Gu Jiao had grown taller again. It was unclear whether it was because she had been malnourished before and was only now starting to grow properly.
Madam Yao didn't like making clothes that were too big for her daughter; they were always just the right size, which meant that the clothes would only last a month or two before she couldn't wear them anymore.
"Where did the gold thread that the old lady sent go?" Madam Yao asked Granny Fang.
Recently, Yao has been gaining a lot of favor with Old Madam Gu, who has been sending her daughter-in-law many nice things.
Madam Gu did this not because she liked Yao, but because she enjoyed Yao's obedient service to her, especially since Yao's massage skills were indeed excellent and her pastries were delicious.
"Huh? I remember putting it in the basket." Granny Fang searched in the embroidery basket.
Madam Yao said, "If we can't find it, let's use silver thread for now. I'll embroider the cloud pattern first."
As people get older, their memory doesn't improve, and Granny Fang has been a bit forgetful lately.
Granny Fang handed the silver thread to Madam Yao.
As Madam Yao finished threading her needle and was about to begin, a maidservant outside the door lifted the curtain: "Madam, the Old Madam requests your presence at Songhe Courtyard."
Madam Yao put down her needlework: "I understand. Go and tell them I'll be right there."
"Yes!" The little maid went off.
The old woman felt sorry for her: "You just came from Songhe Courtyard, you must be exhausted."
Madam Yao smiled faintly: "What's so hard about it? I'm just being a dutiful daughter-in-law in front of her. Which daughter-in-law doesn't go through this? When it comes to hardship, how can it be any less than Jiao Jiao's hardship?"
Granny Fang was speechless.
The young lady has indeed had a hard life. In her early years, she contracted a mental illness and was bullied by that scoundrel Gu family in her hometown. Although she recovered from the illness, her husband had to study, and now all four of them are studying. She doesn't take a single copper coin from the Marquis's mansion; she earns everything through her own hard work outside.
"Alright, let's go to Songhe Courtyard. Don't keep the old lady waiting." Madam Yao finished packing the clothes she had half-finished making for her daughter, put on a cloak, and went to Songhe Courtyard.
When they arrived at Songhe Courtyard, they discovered that Aunt Ling was also there.
Aunt Ling didn't look well.
"Mother." Madam Yao bowed to Old Madam Gu.
Aunt Ling stood up with a smile and bowed to Madam Yao: "Madam."
Yao nodded.
Seeing that Madam Yao was giving Aunt Ling so much face, Old Madam Gu was very pleased and had someone serve Madam Yao tea.
Madam Yao sat down, and a maidservant brought her hot tea.
Madam Yao took a sip of her drink and asked Old Madam Gu, "Mother, did you call me over for something?"
Madam Gu looked at Aunt Ling.
Aunt Ling smiled and said, "Actually, I'm here to ask you for a favor, Madam."
Yao looked at her suspiciously: "What is it?"
Aunt Ling clutched her handkerchief, covered her mouth and nose, coughed a few times, and said breathlessly, "Isn't this the first month of the lunar year? The day after tomorrow is the anniversary of the late Madam's death. Originally, I was in charge of handling this matter, but I caught a cold a few days ago and it hasn't gotten better yet. It's not a big deal that I'm sick, but I'm afraid I'll mess up the memorial service for the late Madam."
Yao said, "So you want me to go?"
Aunt Ling coughed a few times and said, "Before Madam married into the mansion, she and my sister were good friends. I think if we leave this to Madam, my sister will not blame us in the afterlife."
Ms. Yao almost laughed.
Doesn't Aunt Ling know what kind of reputation she's carried all these years? I'm afraid even the late Madam herself thinks that she's the one who killed her, right?
Letting her go to pay respects to the late Madam—aren't you afraid the coffin lid will suddenly tip over?
I really don't know what the old lady was thinking when she agreed.
Aunt Ling asked in surprise, "Madam, you don't mean you're unwilling to go and pay respects to your sister, do you?"
Madam Yao said, “How could that be? I’m just worried that the late Madam wouldn’t want to see me. The three young masters must have gone to her grave to cry and complain about me, their cruel stepmother. She must resent me to the extreme. I’m afraid that if I go, she won’t be able to rest in peace in the afterlife.”
Madam Gu frowned.
Aunt Ling glanced at Old Madam Gu, then said to Madam Yao with a forced smile, "It is precisely because of this misunderstanding that you should go to your sister's grave to explain things clearly."
They spoke as if the late Madam could actually hear them.
From beginning to end, Madam Gu did not utter a single word of disapproval. It seemed that Aunt Ling had already persuaded her first, so there was no point in her insisting any further.
Madam Yao leaned slightly to the side in her chair and bowed slightly to Old Madam Gu, saying, "If Mother doesn't object, then I agree to this matter. However, this is my first time paying respects to the late Madam, and I only have a day and a half to prepare. I'm worried that there might be some oversights. I would appreciate it if Mother could ask Aunt Ling to give me some guidance."
This humble attitude made Old Madam Gu feel extremely comfortable.
And what the daughter-in-law said was right; there were less than two days left.
Old Madam Gu couldn't help but look at Aunt Ling: "You've been sick for more than a day or two, where were you before! Shouldn't you have made preparations earlier!"
Aunt Ling never expected that Yao's casual remark would so easily dispel the dissatisfaction of Old Madam Gu.
With this clear statement, if something goes wrong, it wouldn't be right to make Yao the sole scapegoat.
Fortunately.
She...
Aunt Ling picked up her teacup, lowered her eyes, and took a sip of tea: "Madam, why don't you come to my room, and I'll explain the matter of the ancestral worship to you in detail?"
Yao stood up.
The old nanny whispered, "Madam, are you really going?"
Madam Yao said in a low voice, "She took me away from under the old lady's nose. If something really happens, it will all be her responsibility."
Granny Fang thought about it and agreed.
Madam Yao went to Aunt Ling's place.
Old Madam Gu was still quite worried, fearing that Aunt Ling might be confused and not understand what she was saying, so she sent her trusted nanny along as well.
Madam Gu simply disliked Yao and tried to find ways to torment her, but she would never harm Yao secretly. Therefore, with her trusted nanny in charge, Yao was not worried about Aunt Ling's tricks.
However, Madam Yao remained cautious, not believing that Aunt Ling would be so generous.
Aunt Ling took out a box: "This is the key to the storeroom. I've put all the offerings inside. I've also prepared the carriage and manpower. Madam, just go there early the day after tomorrow."
"Do the three of them agree?" Yao was referring to the three sons of the Gu family.
Aunt Ling smiled and nodded: "I agree, I've already discussed it with them."
That's even stranger.
The three men believed that she had killed their mother and wished they could kill her, so how could they agree to let her go to worship their mother?
That night, she had Granny Fang lead a group to check everything that Aunt Ling had given her. The offerings were not poisoned, the paper money had not been tampered with, the wheels were fine, and the coachman was an honest man from the manor.
Everything is fine.
Was she overthinking it? Was Aunt Ling really that kind?
(End of this chapter)
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