Actually, everyone had noticed Chu Muqing from the very beginning. Her looks and demeanor were impossible to ignore, and she was the first person anyone would see. However, her status was rather awkward, and no one dared to acknowledge her unless the Old Madam spoke first.
Only after hearing the girl in pink speak did the Old Madam seem to “notice” Chu Muqing. She said mildly, “Look at me, chatting with your second aunt and completely neglecting my eldest granddaughter. How have you been?”
Hearing this, Chu Muqing immediately knelt and kowtowed, her voice choked with emotion. “Muqing greets Grandmother. I have always been in poor health since childhood and have been unable to serve Grandmother as I should. Please forgive me.”
The Old Madam had originally disliked Chu Muqing, thinking that following the second branch of the family would be beneath her and bring no benefit to the household. But seeing Chu Muqing’s manners today, she realized the girl carried herself with the grace befitting a legitimate daughter. With proper guidance, she could definitely marry well and bring honor to the family. What’s more, Chu Muqing showed such sincere respect, and the admiration in her eyes did not seem fake. The Old Madam was moved and her attitude softened.
“Quickly, get up and come closer so Grandmother can take a good look at you. Why are you so thin and frail?”
Chu Muqing immediately leaned into the Old Madam’s arms, clinging to her arm and pouting playfully. “Grandmother, I’m deliberately watching my figure. It’s not good for a girl to be too plump. I didn’t listen when Aunt tried to persuade me.” Her tone was innocent and girlish, as if she had no worries in the world. “But if Grandmother thinks I’m too thin, then I’ll eat more. After all, Grandmother is the person Muqing loves most.”
The Old Madam burst into laughter. “You little rascal.”
The grandmother and granddaughter laughed together, appearing extremely close.
Chu Muqing smiled sweetly on the surface, but inwardly she sneered. As expected, in a great household like this, one had to know how to act. In her previous life, she had been so frightened that she couldn’t speak for a long time. Even though she longed to be close to her grandmother, she never dared to say much. In this life, she no longer held any respect for this grandmother. But in the Marquis’s Mansion, if she wanted to deal with the First Madam and Chu Shuran, she would need an accomplice and the Old Madam was the most convenient choice.
“Grandmother, you’ve already forgotten me now that Eldest Sister is back,” the girl in pink said petulantly.
The Old Madam laughed. “So now you’re jealous.” She pointed to the girl in pink and said to Chu Muqing, “This is your third uncle’s daughter, your fourth sister, Sichun. She’s always been the most unruly one.”
Chu Muqing stood up and greeted her politely. “Greetings, Fourth Sister.”
Chu Sichun smiled sweetly in return. “Eldest Sister, you’re so beautiful, even prettier than Second Sister.” Her tone sounded innocent and sincere, as though she meant the compliment. If Chu Muqing hadn’t known her character, she might have believed her. Sichun was foolish yet loved to act clever, always dreaming of marrying into a powerful family and stepping on her sisters, but she simply didn’t have the ability. In the past life, she had only married a poor scholar.
Chu Shuran was well-known in the capital as both beautiful and talented. The First Madam had invested great effort in raising her. Now, this foolish girl actually dared to say Chu Muqing was prettier than Chu Shuran. Sure enough, the First Madam’s expression instantly darkened.
Chu Muqing smiled and replied, “Fourth Sister must be joking. Second Sister and I are both Father’s daughters, naturally, we both inherited our looks from him, so we’re probably about the same. How could we compare who is more beautiful? As for Fourth Sister, you’re always accompanying Second Sister, so you must be quite famous as well, right, Second Sister?”
Chu Shuran had originally planned to sit back and watch the drama. Sichun had always liked competing with the legitimate daughter of the main household. Now that Chu Muqing had returned, Sichun naturally wouldn’t stay quiet. Shuran had planned to wait until they quarreled before stepping in to act as a mediator. But she hadn’t expected Sichun to lose in the very first exchange and Chu Muqing even dragged her into it. What could she say? Everyone in the Marquis’s Mansion knew Sichun had no reputation outside at all.
Having no choice but to respond, she could only force a faint smile and say, “Fourth Sister is naturally wise and kind-hearted.”
Chu Sichun was furious. Although both she and Chu Shuran were legitimate daughters, Chu Shuran belonged to the main branch and thus always held higher status than her. For this reason, she went to great lengths to please the Old Madam, and as a result, she and Chu Shuran were equally favored in front of her. However, outside the mansion, whenever people mentioned the legitimate daughter of the Marquis of Yongding, everyone thought of Chu Shuran, no one ever mentioned Chu Sichun. She firmly believed that her talent and beauty were no worse than Chu Shuran’s, and that Chu Shuran’s reputation as the foremost talented lady of the capital existed only because she was the main household’s legitimate daughter.
Now that the eldest daughter of the Marquis of Yongding had returned, she originally thought this country bumpkin was nothing more than a country bumpkin, so why should her status be higher than hers? She wanted to mock her, and it would be even better if she could provoke a fight between her and Chu Shuran. But she hadn’t expected this “country bumpkin” to be so difficult to deal with.
While the three young ladies exchanged barbed words, the Third Madam could no longer stand it. How dare this countryside girl mock her Sichun? She remarked sarcastically, “It must be thanks to Second Sister-in-law’s good upbringing. Just look at how eloquent our Muqing is.” After speaking, she took out a jade bracelet from her purse and handed it to Chu Muqing. “Third Aunt doesn’t have anything good to offer, so please accept this humble gift.”
At the sight of it, the First Madam almost burst into laughter behind her hand. She wondered whether her third sister-in-law was truly stingy or was doing it on purpose. The bracelet was of such poor quality that it was something usually given to servants, yet she was presenting it to the eldest young lady of the Marquis’s household. Clearly, since her daughter couldn’t win, she, as the mother, had come forward. But this suited the First Madam perfectly. It was already bad enough that a country girl had taken her daughter’s position as the legitimate eldest daughter, and now she even dared drag Shuran into trouble.
The Second Madam was so angry that she stood up. How dare they humiliate her Muqing with something like this! She had even prepared a generous gift for the third branch, but now she felt there was no need to give it. Just as she was about to speak, she heard Chu Muqing’s voice.
Tears welled up in Chu Muqing’s eyes as she looked at the Third Madam and said gently, “I truly appreciate your kindness, Third Aunt. Although it isn’t proper to refuse a gift from an elder, Third Uncle and Third Aunt’s situation is already so difficult… I really don’t dare accept anything more. Every little bit is precious. Don’t worry, Third Aunt, when I see Father, I’ll definitely tell him about your hardships. We’re all family, and Father will surely not ignore you.”
The Third Madam was stunned and snapped, “What nonsense are you talking about! Who’s in financial trouble!”
Chu Muqing asked in apparent confusion, “If not due to real hardship, then why would Third Aunt give me such a gift? When I was in Hezhou, only those relatives who came to beg for money from my Second Uncle but couldn’t afford anything nice would give gifts like this.”
Standing nearby, Chu Jin’an chimed in, “Mother, why don’t we send more things to Third Aunt?”
The Third Madam trembled with rage. She pointed at Chu Muqing, wanting to scold her, but for a long moment she couldn’t utter a single word. This wretched girl hadn’t only mocked her for being poor, but also compared her to a down-and-out woman. It was utterly humiliating.
“What nonsense are you spouting! Who are you calling a freeloader!” Chu Sichun shouted angrily at Chu Muqing.