After walking for a while, they arrived at the courtyard of the Old Madam of the Yongding Marquis’s residence.
Shou’an Hall, the courtyard with the best location and scenery in the entire Yongding Marquis’s household, was where the Old Madam lived.
The maid at the entrance had an oval face. When she saw them approaching, she immediately bowed with a bright smile. “Greetings, Masters. Upon hearing that the Second Master and his family has returned, the Old Madam was overjoyed and is already waiting for you in the main hall.”
This maid’s name was Lian Xia. She was the Old Madam’s attendant, and there was never anything to fault in her conduct. Chu Muqing remembered her clearly because this maid’s end in her previous life was extremely tragic.
The eldest son of the main branch had no legitimate heir, only an illegitimate son named Chu Chengyun. Since he was the only male descendant of the main branch, the Old Madam doted on him immensely, indulging his every whim. As a result, he grew up spoiled, ignorant, and obsessed with women. Aside from keeping many beautiful maids in his own courtyard, he even set his eyes on Lian Xia, who served in the Old Madam’s courtyard.
It was outrageous enough that he desired a maid belonging to his grandmother’s household, but the Old Madam couldn’t bear to refuse her beloved grandson and actually agreed to send Lian Xia to his courtyard as a concubine.
Chu Muqing had found it unbelievable when she first heard it, but at the time she was already overwhelmed by her own struggles within the manor and didn’t pay much attention. Later, however, on the day of the Old Madam’s birthday banquet, several noble young ladies discovered a girl’s corpse in the pond, covered in bruises. The Marquis’s household attempted to suppress the scandal, but a few days later a man went to the Jingzhao’s office and filed a complaint against the Marquis’s household.
That man turned out to be Lian Xia’s cousin. He and Lian Xia had been childhood sweethearts, and both families had already arranged their marriage with a set wedding date. But the Old Madam forcibly prevented it and sent Lian Xia to the eldest young master instead. After Chu Chengyun tired of her, he beat her ruthlessly. Losing the will to live, Lian Xia threw herself into the lake on the very day of the Old Madam’s birthday banquet. Her death was both her escape and her revenge against the Yongding Marquis’s household.
Because of this, the Marquis of Yongding was impeached by a court censor. The emperor was furious and rebuked him for failing to manage his household properly. Even the imperial concubine related to the family fell out of favor for a time.
Chu Chengyun, being a concubine-born son, already had an awkward status that made it difficult to secure a marriage. After this scandal, no noble lady in the capital was willing to marry him. Chu Muqing remembered that in the end, he could only marry the legitimate daughter of a minor official, someone eager to curry favor with the Marquis’s household.
Before she realized it, they had already entered the inner hall.
“Mother, look who’s here! Ever since I heard Second Brother was returning to the capital, I’ve been looking forward to today. Are you happy now?” the First Madam said with a smile to the elderly woman seated in the center on a gilded wooden chair.
The old woman was about fifty years old. Her head was weighed down with gold ornaments to the point one might worry her neck would snap under the weight. Heavy makeup sat upon her slightly aging face, giving her appearance a rather harsh air. She wore a bright scarlet brocade robe embroidered with clouds and peacocks, far too flamboyant for her age and completely out of place. Yet she seemed blissfully unaware as she lounged lazily in her seat. This was the Old Madam of the Yongding Marquis’s household.
“Now you’re making fun of me,” the Old Madam said with a smile to the First Madam, then turned to the Second Master. “Second son, you’ve returned. How was the journey?”
The Second Master quickly bowed. “Thank you for your concern, Mother. I am well.”
The Old Madam nodded. “That’s good. Your elder brother is waiting for you in the study. Since you’ve already paid your respects, go see him now. You don’t need to stay in this old woman’s courtyard.” She disliked this concubine-born son and simply wanted to send him away as soon as possible.
The Second Master said, “Then I shall take my leave,” and secretly winked at the Second Madam before turning to leave.
The Second Madam immediately stepped forward. “I pay my respects to Mother. I have not been able to fulfill my filial duties for several years, this is my fault.” As she spoke, she nodded to the maid beside her. The maid understood and immediately handed a gift list to the Old Madam’s trusted attendant, Nanny Liu, who was one of the old lady’s dowry maids and was the person the Old Madam trusted most.
The Second Madam continued, “Your daughter-in-law is clumsy and can only try to make up for my shortcomings with more gifts, to express the filial devotion I have owed Mother all these years. I hope Mother will guide me more in the future and not hold it against me.”
Nanny Liu handed the list to Old Madam, who took it, glanced over it, and then smiled in satisfaction. She said to the Second Madam, “Why are you still standing there?” Then she laughed and scolded the First Madam, “You old thing, my memory is failing. Why didn’t you tell the Second Madam to sit?”
Pointing to the rosewood chair below the First Madam’s seat, she said, “Come, sit down quickly.”
Hearing this, the Second Madam finally breathed a sigh of relief. She knew now that her gift had pleased the Old Madam. Originally, she had intended to prepare several pieces of famous calligraphy and paintings, thinking that nobles in the capital all appreciated such cultured gifts, and that they would suit the Old Madam’s status. However, Chu Muqing stopped her and insisted on giving gold and silver jewelry instead. The Second Madam had been reluctant, fearing the Old Madam would find such gifts vulgar. But since Chu Muqing persisted and she didn’t want to refuse repeatedly, she prepared both types of gifts, deciding to send whichever proved necessary. Now, it seemed Muqing had indeed guessed the Old Madam’s tastes correctly.
If Chu Muqing knew what the Second Madam was thinking, she would have sneered. In her previous life, they had given rare calligraphy and paintings. The Old Madam had accepted them with a fake smile, but then she harshly scold the Second Madam afterward for being unfilial and disrespectful. Later, Chu Muqing learned that the Old Madam actually loved gold and silver jewelry the most and did not consider them vulgar at all. After all, the old lady was the legitimate daughter of the prestigious Wang family of Huzhou. Who knew how she could still be so uncouth.
“This must be Jin’an. Come, let Grandmother take a look.” Having happily accepted the Second Madam’s gift, the Old Madam now found Chu Jin’an much more pleasing to the eye.
Chu Jin’an stepped forward, knelt, and bowed. “Greetings, Grandmother.”
The Old Madam smiled. “Very good.” Then she turned to Nanny Liu. “Quickly bring the inkstone I prepared.”
Just as Nanny Liu went to retrieve it, a woman’s voice came from the entrance.
“I could hear Mother laughing from outside, so Second Sister-in-law must be here.” A round-faced middle-aged woman in a long robe embroidered with peonies and phoenixes entered with her voice preceding her. Behind her came a young girl in a light lotus-pink dress embroidered with butterflies and daffodils. “Mother, please forgive me for being late.”
The girl in pink bowed sweetly. “Grandmother, I wish you well. Greetings to Eldest Aunt and Second Aunt.” Then she looked at Chu Muqing. “Is this Eldest Sister? Eldest Sister is truly beautiful.”
Everyone’s gaze turned to the girl standing in the center of the room. Though her clothing was simple, her noble and outstanding bearing was already striking as she stood there with a gentle smile.