The guests left unhappily. Mo Huan closed her eyes to rest. Rao Xueniang took over the servant’s work, serving her carefully and speaking softly.
“A girl raised in the northwest is truly different from the girls at home. I think the eldest young lady is quite bold.”
Mo Huan gave a cold laugh. “If she said that and I did not react, then Jiang Cainü would have raised her for nothing.”
“She has stayed at Jialan Pass for many years and could not return. In the Yan family, everyone only recognizes me as the grandmother. If not for this, why would Jiang Cainü worry so much, fall seriously ill, and force the General to take one granddaughter to raise there?”
When Yan Anbang was going to guard Jialan Pass, according to custom, his wife and children should have stayed in the capital, and a concubine would follow him. But at that time, Yan Anbang’s mother was still alive. She demanded that Jiang Cainü accompany the General to the border because she was a medical woman. The two had met during war, and she was more suited to life on the frontier.
Concubine Mo Huan stayed in the capital to serve the elderly and care for the children.
In the first few years, Jiang Cainü worked hard and returned once every two years. But after traveling for over a month to reach the capital, she could only stay a few days. She felt like a guest in her own home. Even her own children treated her politely but distantly.
She could not leave the General and return to the capital. But she could not accept watching her own children become strangers. After returning to Jialan Pass, she became ill.
When Yan Anbang learned of her inner pain, he wanted to send his eldest son to Jialan Pass to serve his parents for two years.
But the Old Madam firmly refused. None of her grandsons could go to Jialan Pass. The Yan family valued literature and scholarship. One military general, Yan Anbang, was enough. Besides, there were reasons. Yan Ci was at an important stage in the imperial examinations and could not leave. Yan Fu was already engaged and not yet married, so he could not leave either.
All his life, Yan Anbang struggled with his mother and then gave in. She did not allow him to join the army, so he said if he failed after three years, he would return. She did not allow him to marry Jiang Cainü, so he agreed to take his cousin as a concubine. She did not allow his sons to go to Jialan Pass, so he said, “Then let my granddaughter go.”
At that time, Mrs. Song had a three-year-old son, Yan Shiwen, and a one-year-old daughter who did not yet have a name.
In the end, the one-and-a-half-year-old daughter was sent to Jialan Pass to show filial respect for her parents and grow up beside them.
At the moment she left home, she was given a name—Zigui.
Her name carried her mother’s hope: that her daughter would return home soon. They thought it would be two or three years, at most four or five. Who knew it would become fourteen long years?
“A little girl who does not know her limits,” Mo Huan said dismissively. “If Jiang Cainü wants to use her granddaughter to fight for status, we will see if she has that ability.”
When Yan Ci returned home from work, he first went to Luomei Hall to greet the Old Madam. Mo Huan held his hand and said that Zigui had finally come back. As she spoke emotionally, tears filled her eyes.
“Our whole family owes her. She suffered in our place.”
“Aunt, why do you say that?” Yan Ci did not understand. “She was not suffering at Jialan Pass. Father’s letters show that he spoiled her greatly.”
“You speak lightly. We blood relatives are together, but she was alone outside. Does she not have resentment in her heart?”
“If she feels resentment, it is understandable. You must not blame her.”
Yan Ci understood from her tone. “Did Zigui make Aunt unhappy today?”
“She is only a child. Would I argue with her?” Mo Huan shook her head. “You must not blame her either.”
So something had indeed happened. Yan Ci asked again, but Mo Huan refused to say. She even suggested canceling tomorrow’s birthday banquet and simply informing the relatives—they would understand.
Cancel the birthday banquet because of Zigui?
The matter must be serious.
After leaving Luomei Hall, Yan Ci went to find Mrs. Song to ask clearly what happened. When he entered the room, he saw her staring at a warm fur hat on the table.
“It is almost April. Why has this not been put away yet?”
Mrs. Song looked at him calmly and said nothing. She placed the hat into a box and told someone to store it.
Biyun smiled and said, “This is the warm hat the eldest young lady gave Madam. Look at the shine of the fur and the colors of the embroidery. You can see she put great care into it.”
“Did she not prepare something for me?” Yan Ci asked.
“She prepared money pouches for the Master and the young masters. The master also received a pair of fur leg covers. The stitching is very tight and careful.”
Yan Ci held the pouch and looked at it from every side.
Mrs. Song said lightly, “We do not know whether she made it herself or bought it.”
“In any case, she had the thought,” Yan Ci replied. He held the pouch and asked, “What did Zigui say today in Luomei Hall? Aunt did not seem happy.”
Such a filial child—perhaps there was a misunderstanding.
“Zigui said that this family’s Old Madam is at Jialan Pass. Why is there another Old Madam here?” Mrs. Song looked at him. “At that moment, the Mo family’s faces did not look very good.”
“Aunt simply said the matter was complicated and passed over it.”
But was it really passed over? Mrs. Song did not think so. Still, she did not say more. It was Yan Ci who had decided in this house to let Mo Huan be called ‘Old Madam.’ Now his daughter refused to accept it. Let father and daughter settle it between themselves.
Yan Ci suddenly felt the pouch in his hand become heavy.
Mrs. Song glanced at him again. “Avoiding the problem is useless. You must think of a solution. When Father and Mother return from Jialan Pass, will this house truly have two Old Madams? If word spreads, people will laugh.”
“This is the problem Grandmother left behind. They did not settle it clearly. Why should I be the one troubled now?”
It was about how Grandmother disliked her daughter-in-law and favored her niece instead. A concubine was allowed to manage the household in place of the main wife who was not in the capital. Over time, this became a habit. Even many years after Grandmother passed away, nothing changed.
Was that his fault?
“What does Zigui look like?” Yan Ci asked Mrs. Song. “The northwest has strong wind and sand. Prepare more skin cream for her. Do not let her feel ashamed if her skin is rough.”
“Her skin is not dark,” Mrs. Song replied. She had not looked carefully at her daughter. “She was sitting in Luomei Hall when she suddenly came in. She was taken directly from the dock and brought home, still dusty from travel, wearing Taoist clothes. I do not know how the housekeeper arranged it.”
“When she comes later, you can look at her carefully yourself.”
When Yan Shiwen returned home, he first went back to his own courtyard to see his pregnant wife. Then he changed clothes before going to the main courtyard.
Ding Miaoshuang, who had been lying in bed without makeup since her pregnancy was confirmed, was now dressed and sitting before a bronze mirror, asking a maid to put some blush on her cheeks to make her look better.
“You are not vomiting today?” Yan Shiwen asked happily.
“If I were not vomiting, that would be good,” Ding Miaoshuang said softly with a slight complaint. “But since my sister returned home today, as her sister-in-law, I should go see her.”
“You are older, she is younger. Even Grandmother and Mother feel sorry for you and allow you to rest in bed without greeting anyone,” Yan Shiwen said casually. “She should come to see you.”
“She already came.” Because Yan Zigui had come earlier—even though they did not meet face to face—the method she suggested had truly eased her discomfort. That was why Ding Miaoshuang decided to gather her strength and visit. “She understands manners. As the sister-in-law, I cannot be rude.”
“Then do as you think best. But do not force yourself.”
When Yan Zigui arrived at the main courtyard, everyone else was already there. Besides her full brothers and sisters, Yan Zhenying was also present. A round-faced little boy stood close to her, very attached.
Yan Zigui took a deep breath before stepping forward to greet them.
Father, Mother, Elder Brother, Sister-in-law, Second Brother, Third Brother (standing next to Yan Zhenying), Fifth Brother, Third Sister. Two women dressed as married ladies stood nearby—they were Concubine Liu, mother of Fifth Brother, and Concubine Qian, mother of Third Sister.
After greetings were exchanged, the room fell into a quiet and slightly awkward silence.
They looked at each other carefully.
After all, they were blood siblings. There were some similarities in their faces. Ding Miaoshuang felt especially close to her.
Yan Ci said, “You look very much like your mother when she was young.”
Yan Zigui lowered her head and smiled gently.
Yan Ci asked about her grandparents’ health and about her journey. “Do you like the courtyard your mother prepared for you? If anything is missing, just tell her.”
“The courtyard Mother prepared is very good. Nothing is missing.”
Yan Zigui’s gentle and obedient manner reassured Yan Ci.
He then said, “You have been at Jialan Pass for a long time and are not familiar with family matters here. That is why you had a misunderstanding. The Old Madam is not only your grandfather’s concubine; she is also his cousin. I call her Aunt. Your brothers and sisters call her Great-Aunt Grandmother. The servants call her Old Madam only because of her age. There is no other meaning.”
“Tomorrow is her birthday. She was so worried that you might be unhappy that she even thought of canceling the banquet. When you go with Zijin to greet her tomorrow morning, congratulate her on her birthday and ask her to enjoy it happily. Do not let her worry about you.”
All the younger ones looked at Yan Zigui.
Yan Zigui’s expression became subtle. “Because of me, the concubine aunt does not even want to celebrate her birthday. It is indeed my fault. I will apologize to her later and ask her to be generous and not argue with someone as small as me.”
Ding Miaoshuang almost laughed when she heard this, but quickly realized it was not the right time. She covered her mouth with a handkerchief and pretended to cough to hide her reaction.
“That is not what I meant,” Yan Ci said.
“Then Father means I should apologize to her in front of everyone tomorrow?” Yan Zigui asked. A trace of sadness appeared on her face. “I care about dignity, but Grandmother told me that when I return home, I must listen to my parents and not be stubborn. If Father tells me to do something, I will do it.”
Her words sounded even more troubling.
“Grandmother does not want Elder Sister to apologize,” Yan Zhenying explained quickly. “She is only worried that tomorrow at the birthday banquet, the Elder Sister might say something similar again and cause embarrassment.”
“As her granddaughter, what is wrong with apologizing?” Yan Shide shouted. “You came from a small border place and do not understand manners. In our family, no grandchild dares to speak back to Grandmother in public. It is bold and disrespectful.”
“Shide!” Yan Shiwen scolded.
Yan Zigui looked at Yan Shide. He felt uneasy under her gaze but still lifted his chin. “Did I say anything wrong? You are simply uneducated.”
Yan Zhenying hurried to cover his mouth and explained to Yan Zigui, “Third Brother speaks directly. He does not mean harm. Elder Sister, please do not blame him.”
“I will not blame him,” Yan Zigui said coldly. The one to blame was someone else.
She had promised her grandmother not to cause trouble before they returned. But this situation was truly hard not to feel angry about.
She looked directly at Yan Ci. “Father entered official service through the imperial examinations. My brothers have studied hard since childhood. I have not read many books, so naturally I am far inferior. I thought a grandmother is a grandmother, a great-aunt grandmother is a great-aunt grandmother, and a concubine grandmother is a concubine grandmother. There should be a difference between close and distant.”
“Is that not so?”