Jia Mu gave Madam Wang a cool glance and sneered.
“Our servants put on airs in front of the Governor General’s wife and offended her, yet you want me to pretend I know nothing and simply ignore the matter?”
“Do you perhaps think I sent people to Yangzhou to bring Daiyu back to the capital so that I could sever our ties with the Lin family?”
Madam Wang naturally knew that was not the case. But everyone had their own selfish motives. It would benefit Madam Wang if Daiyu lived on the Imperial Estate rather than in the Rongguo Household.
Therefore, Madam Wang simply pretended not to understand Jia Mu’s meaning.
“Of course I know how much Old Madam cares for Miss Lin. But in my opinion, Madam Lin is rather too arrogant. She is a junior, after all, while Old Madam is a titled elder of great standing. Even if the people you sent were somewhat presumptuous, she should not have been so unwilling to give you face.”
“The servants were ignorant, and that was their fault. But for Madam Lin to quarrel with servants over such a thing shows that she is not very sensible either. If Old Madam has dealings with her, I am afraid you may only end up being angered.”
At this moment, Wang Xifeng had been held up by other matters and had not yet arrived. Madam Wang calmly shifted the responsibility elsewhere.
“I am not saying that Old Madam should truly ignore Miss Lin. That would be too cold hearted. It is simply that since Madam Lin has such an unpleasant temperament, Old Madam need not personally go to see her.
Neither Madam Xing nor I should go either. Let Feng girl make the trip.”
“Feng girl is a junior, after all, and she is sweet tongued and clever. Would it not be more appropriate for her to deal with Madam Lin than for you or us to go?”
Those words struck a chord with Jia Mu.
Jia Mu knew that her own servants had been rude first, but Madam Lin’s refusal to show any courtesy had also left her somewhat displeased.
In principle, Madam Lin was Daiyu’s paternal aunt and was of the same generation as Madam Xing and Madam Wang. If someone needed to apologize and inquire after Daiyu, one of those two would have been the most appropriate choice.
But were either of them truly capable of handling such a matter properly?
Jia Mu glanced at Madam Xing, then at Madam Wang, and sighed inwardly.
Madam Xing had always known only how to flatter Jia She. In front of Jia Mu, she merely went through the motions and was of little use beyond that.
If she were sent to apologize to Madam Lin, would she be willing to swallow her pride and bow her head?
As for Madam Wang…
Jia Mu lowered her eyes and fell silent.
Under the circumstances, Wang Xifeng was indeed the most suitable choice after careful consideration.
It was both fortunate and unfortunate that Wang Xifeng had just finished dealing with the various trivial matters in the rear courtyard and was coming to the front to receive guests.
Just as she was about to enter the room, she saw Jinchuan give her a meaningful glance.
Her heart immediately sank.
Could it be that something had gone wrong with Miss Lin’s arrival in the capital?
Feng Xifeng restrained her smile and walked inside as though she knew nothing, greeting everyone respectfully.
Madam Wang wore a smile. Once Feng Xifeng had finished greeting them and straightened up, she slowly explained the situation.
“Feng girl, you are the one in your generation whom Old Madam trusts most. Now that something like this has happened, I am afraid you will have to make a trip there. Go see your younger sister, and while you are there, persuade Madam Lin to be a little more restrained.”
“Resentments are better dissolved than deepened. The Lin family and the Jia family are in laws. Surely they cannot hold a grudge and turn against each other? If word gets out, would that not simply make people laugh?”
Feng Xifeng was stunned when she heard this.
The smile on her face froze, and she did not know whether she should continue smiling or put it away.
Madam Wang’s words sounded perfectly reasonable, but with the facts laid out before them, who could fail to see what was really happening?
She was supposedly being sent to persuade Madam Lin to be more restrained.
But Madam Lin was the wife of the Governor General of Liangguang, a first rank titled lady, and her elder.
What could Feng Xifeng possibly use to persuade her?
This was clearly not a visit to inquire after her.
She was being sent there to take the blame and absorb the anger!
The Rongguo Household had been discourteous at first, yet now they were sending a junior to apologize. How could that possibly make sense?
Could it be that Madam Wang was displeased because she had recently gained Old Madam’s favor, and was using this opportunity to put her in her place?
There was no way Feng Xifeng would agree to such an unpleasant assignment.
She forced herself to smile even more brightly.
“Old Madam has given the order, and as a junior, I should not refuse. But the other party is the wife of the Governor General and a first rank titled lady. Second Madam wants me, the wife of a commissioned fifth rank assistant prefect, to go there and persuade her to restrain herself. This…”
“It is truly not that I am trying to avoid work. I am simply too young, too junior in generation, and too low in status. How could I possibly be suitable?”
“If Old Madam wants me to go, then someone whose status is more appropriate should accompany me. I can help from the side and smooth things over. That would make much more sense.”
“I was thinking that Sister You from the Eastern Household is of the same generation as me. Brother Zhen inherited the title of First Master of the Eastern Household, so Sister You’s status is also somewhat higher. With her accompanying me, I would have an easier time speaking, would I not?”
“Second Madam, what do you think?”
Madam Wang did not particularly care one way or another, so long as she did not have to go herself.
Jia Mu, however, frowned.
“What nonsense. The trouble arose from our Western Household, yet you want the eldest daughter in law of the Eastern Household to accompany you. Is she even related to the Lin family? Would they have anything to say to each other?”
Madam Xing watched from the side and gave a faint sneer.
The girl had already pushed the mess right back where it belonged, yet Madam Wang was still dreaming.
How clever was Feng Xifeng? How could she truly intend to have You Shi accompany her to apologize?
Although the Eastern and Western Households were branches of the same family, they were still separate households. The Lin family was related to the Rongguo Household. If the Rongguo Household had offended someone, there was no reason for the eldest daughter in law of the Ningguo Household to go there and suffer the other’s anger.
In other words, the person had to come from the Rongguo Household.
Feng Xifeng had already made the problem perfectly clear. She was merely the wife of a commissioned fifth rank assistant prefect, and she was junior in generation. Why would Madam Lin take her seriously?
That meant Jia Mu had to choose someone whose status was high enough and whose seniority was sufficient to speak to Madam Lin.
Who else could that person be?
Throughout the entire Rongguo Household, those with higher seniority than Feng Xifeng and who also possessed titled status were Jia Mu herself, Madam Xing, and Madam Wang.
In other words, one of those three had to accompany Feng Xifeng to see Madam Lin.
Madam Xing was not worried in the slightest that Jia Mu might choose her, because that was simply impossible.
She had long ago established an image of herself as foolish and incapable in front of Jia Mu. Every task Jia Mu entrusted to her ended in disaster.
When Madam Xing had first entered the household, she had possessed some ambition. She had wanted to compete with Madam Wang and win Jia Mu’s favor.
But she soon discovered that her husband was disliked by his mother, and because of that, she was disliked as well.
Madam Wang came from a distinguished family. Her husband had a proper official position, and she had several children. By contrast, Madam Xing came from an ordinary family, her husband was unreliable, and she had no biological children.
What was the point of competing?
Once she realized this, Madam Xing quietly gave up.
Since Jia Mu could not be bothered with her, she only needed to please Jia She and preserve her own wealth and status.
Even if she turned everything upside down, Jia Mu would never think more highly of her, the First Madam.
So why bother?
Madam Xing was completely at ease.
She knew Jia Mu would never choose her.
Sure enough, after thinking carefully for a moment, Jia Mu’s gaze shifted to Madam Wang.
“Wang family, you are the Second Madam of the Rongguo Household, the younger sister of the Commander of the Imperial Guards, and you are also of the same generation as Madam Lin. There could be no more suitable person for you to take Feng girl there.”
“You will have to make the trip.”
Jia Mu had not failed to consider the possibility that Madam Wang might behave foolishly.
But with Feng Xifeng beside her, she would have both assistance and supervision. Surely Feng Xifeng could stop Madam Wang from making a mistake.
Besides, Jia Mu wanted Madam Wang to understand why she had insisted on bringing Daiyu back to the capital.
The Lin family had never been the impoverished household Madam Wang imagined.
It was true that the Lin family was merely a marquis household and could not compare with the Rongguo Household, one of the four princely and eight noble households.
But the Lin family had very few descendants, so there were not many people among whom the family property had to be divided.
Furthermore, the Lin family’s marriage connections were not much weaker than those of the Wang family.
Madam Lin was Lin Ruhai’s younger sister. Her husband was probably around Lin Ruhai’s age, yet he had already become a powerful provincial official.
In terms of status, Wang Ziteng’s position as Commander of the Imperial Guards was certainly higher than that of Governor General of Liangguang.
But Wang Ziteng was Madam Wang’s elder brother, and his age had to be taken into account.
By the time Madam Lin’s husband reached Wang Ziteng’s age, he might not be inferior to him at all.
Jia Mu thought it over and decided to let Madam Wang personally experience the difference.
After all, Madam Wang had spent years dropping hints in front of her.
Jia Mu had never even met anyone from the Xue family, yet she had already heard the name Xue Baochai countless times.
But what was the status of the Lin family, and what was the standing of the Xue family whom Madam Wang cherished so dearly?
Whenever Jia Mu thought about her jade born Jia Baoyu marrying a merchant’s daughter, her chest tightened with discomfort.
Imperial merchants might be registered with the Imperial Household Department, but they were merchants, not officials.
At the end of the day, Imperial merchants were merely servants of the Imperial Household, hounds who helped the Emperor make money.
When a hound stopped obeying, one simply replaced it with another. Who would care whether a hound lived or died?
There were plenty of people in the world eager to become such servants. No one was indispensable.
In years of famine, perhaps they would even skin the hounds and eat their meat.
Only Madam Wang would treat the Xue family as a treasure.
Madam Wang’s expression changed slightly. She had not expected the matter to fall upon her. She frowned.
“Old Madam, I am clumsy with words and am afraid I cannot handle such an assignment. Feng girl is clever. It would be better to let her go.”
Jia Mu frowned, her face full of disapproval.
“I am not asking you to go there and quarrel with her. What could you possibly fail to handle? To put it simply, I am merely borrowing your status.
Feng is a young wife and only the wife of a commissioned official. What face does she have to speak before the Governor General’s wife? Surely someone must accompany her.”
“Put yourself in her place. If someone offended the wife of Baoyu’s maternal uncle and then sent an insignificant young wife to apologize, would your Wang family allow that person through the door?”
Madam Wang fell silent.
If someone treated Wang Ziteng’s wife with such disrespect, all four great families would probably join forces against that person.
Jia Mu’s words were indeed reasonable. Madam Wang was unwilling, but she could find no other argument.
Within the Rongguo Household, she truly was the most suitable person in both status and seniority.
Madam Wang was annoyed and could not help glancing at Feng Xifeng.
Why was she being so difficult?
If she had simply agreed in the first place, would any of this have happened?
Feng Xifeng lowered her head, her smile radiant while her eyes remained cold.
Second, Madam could be unhappy all she wanted. Who had told her to drag Feng Xifeng into this mess in the first place?
If Madam Wang had not pulled her into it, Feng Xifeng would never have had a chance to speak.
By now, under Yan Hong’s arrangements, all the luggage and servants had been settled.
There was only one main residence in the Imperial Estate, and Madam Lin settled there.
There were also several gardens and waterside pavilions, namely Plum Garden, Peach Garden, Plum Garden, Willow Garden, and Bamboo Garden, each containing its own pavilion.
Madam Lin let Yan Xianzhi and Daiyu choose for themselves.
Yan Xianzhi let Daiyu choose first.
Daiyu chose Bamboo Garden, while Yan Xianzhi chose Willow Garden. The two were very close to each other.
The maidservants went off to arrange their respective residences, while Yan Xianzhi invited Daiyu to take a walk outside.
It was now the transition between spring and summer.
Although the spring colors within the Imperial Estate were beginning to fade, there were still tender green bamboo and young willow trees, with gentle winds and pale clouds in the sky. The scenery retained its own graceful charm.
Daiyu found the Imperial Estate beautiful in a distinctive way. Its pavilions were splendid, yet the scenery remained elegant and refined.
She was already delighted with the place.
But when she thought of Willow Garden, she could not help looking at Yan Xianzhi.
“Why did my sister choose to live in Willow Garden? Are you not afraid of all those willow catkins floating around?”
Yan Xianzhi smiled faintly.
She casually broke off several willow branches and instructed Danmo, who was following behind them, to take them back and put them in a vase.
“It is nothing. Neither I nor the people serving me suffer from breathing problems. We simply need to clean a few more times each day.”
“We brought so many people anyway. Later, we can assign a few more older women to sweep and clean and give them a little extra reward. That will take care of it.”
“Besides, whether I live there or not, the place still needs to be cleaned. If I move in, they will simply clean it more thoroughly, and that will also keep the catkins from blowing elsewhere and annoying people.”
“People in this world always say willow catkins are frivolous because they dance in the wind. I alone think people make too much of it. As the saying goes, ‘Plants have their own nature. Why seek the beauty’s hand to pluck them?’ Green willows and white catkins are simply the elegant scenery of early summer. Yet people have given them a bad reputation and then use that reputation to insult others.”
“Water flows leisurely, yet people insist on calling it fickle. Flying catkins drift lightly, yet people call them frivolous. No matter how good something is, when it falls into the eyes of such people, all they can see is the bad.”
The two sisters were strolling leisurely when Feixue suddenly came looking for them.
“Eldest Miss, Young Miss, Madam asks me to invite both of you to the main hall. Someone from the Rongguo Household has arrived.”
Daiyu still knew nothing about the friction between Madam Lin and the Rongguo Household.
Hearing this, she smiled.
“It must be Grandmother’s people coming to receive me.”
Madam Lin had already explained everything to Daiyu on the journey.
After they arrived in the capital, Daiyu could live with her at the Imperial Estate. If she missed her grandmother, she could also stay at the Rongguo Household.
Both sides were genuine relatives, and everything would depend on Daiyu’s own wishes.
Throughout the journey, Daiyu had been cared for by her paternal aunt. Her food, clothing, and other necessities had all been excellent. Wherever she went, maidservants and older female servants surrounded her, while the household servants were respectful and diligent, never daring to neglect her in the slightest.
Although this was not her own family, she had never felt as though she were living under someone else’s roof.
Naturally, she assumed that her grandmother’s household would be the same.
Therefore, when she heard that people from the Rongguo Household had arrived, she was rather happy and took Yan Xianzhi’s hand.
“My aunt and sister have worked so hard caring for me throughout the journey. Now that people from my maternal grandmother’s family have come to welcome me, I cannot bear to leave my sister either. Could you please come stay with me for a few days?”
Yan Xianzhi smiled faintly and nodded.
Even if Daiyu had not asked, she had already intended to find an excuse to accompany Daiyu to the Rongguo Household under the pretext of seeing the wealth and splendor of a Duke’s Household.
It was not that she deliberately wanted to view the Rongguo Household with malicious suspicion.
It was simply that the behavior of their servants had made her rather distrustful of the household.
Hearing was unreliable. Seeing was believing.
If Yan Xianzhi went to the Rongguo Household and found that the servants were respectful and courteous, while the masters were kind and amiable, she could feel at ease about letting Daiyu stay there.
But if the servants of the Rongguo Household were all as unreasonable as Wu You’s wife, then it would be better for Daiyu to keep her distance from them.
Why should she go there only to suffer?
According to the original novel’s description, Daiyu’s life in the Rongguo Household was like “three hundred and sixty days a year, with wind like knives and frost like swords pressing relentlessly upon her.”
It could hardly be called a comfortable life.
But in the original story, Lin Ruhai was far away in Yangzhou and unable to protect Daiyu from afar. Once she arrived in the capital, she had no one to support her for the time being. Combined with the snobbish servants within the Rongguo Household, things eventually reached that state.
Now that Yan Xianzhi and her mother were by Daiyu’s side, the situation had already changed.
As for how the Rongguo Household would react, Yan Xianzhi could not make a hasty judgment.
Therefore, she had to make a personal visit to the Rongguo Household and see what the situation was really like.