Despite the pain in her knees, Yan Ning knelt down and bowed, saying, "Yan Ning is late, please punish me, Madam!" The old lady looked in the mirror, satisfied with the hairstyle on her head, and her eyebrows furrowed slightly. She smiled and said to Yan Ning, "Get up! You punish me at the drop of a hat, do you think I'm some kind of judge?" As she spoke, she gestured to the maid beside her to pick up some black ink and draw her eyebrows.
Seeing that the old lady was in a very good mood, Yan Ning breathed a sigh of relief, but dared not show the slightest negligence on her face. She quickly stood up and stood next to Li Mama, asking with her eyes what she could do. Li Mama took the covered bowl for rinsing the old lady's mouth from the servant and handed it to Yan Ning, glancing at the old lady again. Yan Ning immediately understood, recalling scenes she had seen in movies and TV dramas before. She held the covered bowl with both hands, waiting for the servant to finish applying makeup to the old lady's eyebrows, open the covered bowl, and carefully bring the tea to the old lady's lips.
The old lady took a small sip of tea, her lips moving slightly but without making a sound. Yan Ning quickly took the spittoon from Li Mama's hand, and the old lady spat out the tea, then took the handkerchief Yan Ning offered and gently wiped the water droplets from around her lips. The old lady noticed that although it was Yan Ning's first time serving her, she was orderly and composed. She thought to herself: "I punished her so badly last time; her injuries must not have fully healed, yet she serves me without any resentment in her eyes. Kang'er is not one to be lustful; she must have extraordinary qualities. This child is not just pretty; she acts so cautiously. She should not disturb the peace of this mansion in the future."
"Come!" The old lady smiled warmly and extended her hands to Yan Ning. Upon hearing this, Yan Ning immediately grasped the old lady's hands and knelt beside her. The old lady looked at Yan Ning's stunning beauty and said, "With such looks, if I were a man, I'm afraid I would also be moved." As she spoke, she smiled kindly and glanced at the servants serving in the room.
Servants are best at guessing their masters' thoughts. When the old lady spoke like this, the servants in the room knew that the new lady had been approved by her. So, led by Granny Li, they all joked with the old lady, "The general is a man of great talent, and the lady is so beautiful. They are truly a perfect match."
Outside the main room of the Peony Hall, Xi Ying heard faint laughter coming from inside. Her makeup froze like autumn frost. In an instant, Xi Ying smiled gracefully and lovingly asked De Lin beside her, "Did you remember what your mother told you this morning?" De Lin raised his young face, "I remembered!"
A servant lifted the brown silk curtain to welcome Xi Ying in. As she moved from the outer room to the inner room, Xi Ying's smile deepened. "Greetings to Mother!" She knelt on one knee outside the crescent-shaped, openwork peony door of the inner room. Through the beaded curtain and thin gauze, she saw the old lady lovingly arranging Yan Ning's hair and knew in her heart that the old lady had accepted Yan Ning.
Hearing Xi Ying's voice, the old lady gestured for Li Mama to welcome her in. Xi Ying led De Lin into the inner room. De Lin saw the old lady sitting gracefully on the warm bed, so he stepped forward, clasped his hands in a fist and knelt on one knee, saying, "Grandson De Lin greets Grandmother, son De Lin greets Great Mother!" Everyone in the room looked at him in confusion after hearing De Lin's words. The old lady asked, "De Lin, who is this Great Mother?"
"My great-aunt is the beautiful lady beside my grandmother. She taught me that everyone in the family should respect my grandmother first, then my father, then my great-aunt, and finally my great-aunt! When my great-aunt gives me younger brothers and sisters in the future, I, as the elder brother, must take care of them!" Delin said in a childish voice, moving his tender little lips.
Everyone in the room who heard Delin's words secretly admired Xiying's skill in raising her son. The old lady looked at Xiying with approval in her eyes, then at Yan Ning, and said, "Hurry up and pick up your newborn son. Your knees will get cold from kneeling like that." Yan Ning, who had been embarrassed by Delin's words, who was not yet three years old, rushed to Delin and hugged him when she heard the old lady's instruction.
"I could hear laughter and chatter coming from outside the door, Mother. I wonder what's making you so happy?" Fukang'an entered the inner room with one hand behind his back, walked to the old lady's warm bed, and knelt down on one knee. "Your son greets Mother!" "Get up! This laughter is all thanks to your two wonderful daughters-in-law!" the old lady said with a broad smile.
After rising, Fukang'an looked at Xi Ying and Yan Ning with a smile. Xi Ying curtsied and said, "Greetings, General!" Yan Ning, though carrying De Lin and feeling somewhat uncomfortable, also curtsied slightly to Fukang'an, given the old lady's recent change of opinion of her. Fukang'an quickly took a few steps forward and embraced Yan Ning and De Lin, his eyes filled with affection as he looked at Yan Ning. Yan Ning, mindful of De Lin in her arms, gently pushed Fukang'an away. Fukang'an, however, did not leave. He placed one arm around Yan Ning's waist, standing beside her as if embracing her, watching her and De Lin.
Seeing Fukang'an and Yan Ning so affectionate, Xi Ying's smile deepened. She walked to the old lady's side, took Li Mama's hand, and helped the old lady up.
In early spring, a light chill lingered behind the brocade curtains, yet the inner chambers of the Peony Hall were warm and inviting. "They say the inner courtyards of wealthy families are filled with jealousy and rivalry. I think that's just bad luck in choosing the wrong men. Look at my Fucha family! First, we had the kind and harmonious brothers like Kang'er. When my husband was alive, I never even had a quarrel with Concubine Li, who came into the household later. Now, I have such well-educated and courteous Xiying, and such stunningly beautiful daughters-in-law like Yan Ning. Who can compare to this blessing!" The old lady's face beamed with the joy of family life.
Granny Li and all the servants knelt on the ground and echoed, "Only this old lady has such good fortune!"
Fukang'an tightened his grip on Yan Ning's waist, whispering in her ear in a voice only the two of them could hear, "I want a child of our own!" Yan Ning blushed upon hearing this, glanced at him, then took a small step back, pulling away from Fukang'an's grasp. Fukang'an's smile deepened, as he withdrew his arms from Yan Ning's waist and placed them behind his back, as if he hadn't said anything at all.
Delin looked at Yan Ning and Fukang'an, a naive smile on his face. Yan Ning saw Delin in her arms, his delicate, exquisite face resembling Fukang'an's, his brows revealing intelligence and cleverness. Although she had never thought about having a child, at this moment, Delin in her arms called her "Big Mother," and Yan Ning felt an overwhelming surge of maternal love, cherishing him from the bottom of her heart.
As soon as Fukang'an sat down, Zhao Xing reported that there was something going on at the military camp and summoned him away. Xi Ying took Delin to the training room. The old lady wanted to worship Buddha, so she had Yan Ning continue studying the Four Books for Women. After what happened that morning, the servants of Peony Hall immediately changed their attitude towards Yan Ning. Yan Ning sat at her desk, and because she was bored with the ancient books and Li Mama wasn't around to urge her, she relaxed and asked Haitang to bring her some eyebrow pencil. She then began to sketch Fukang'an.
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