Free Web NovelChapter 996: Chapter 990: Auspicious Event (2)
The Grand Dowager followed her words and loosened the quilt before covering Wan with it. Xiqiu told Ziwei to go decoct the medicine, then said helplessly, "...It’s still indigestion." frёeωebɳovel.com
"Let Wan stay here for the time being." The Grand Dowager looked impatiently toward Lianqiao, whereas Xiqiu was afraid the Grand Dowager might truly keep the child here and end up harming her own health instead. Besides, it wasn’t as if Lianqiao truly didn’t love her child. "Mother has experience with children." After a pause, she added, "With Wan by your side we’ll be more at ease. Once she’s recovered, Madam Wang can take her back."
The Grand Dowager arched her brows and glanced at Xiqiu, who only looked back at her with a smiling face. The Grand Dowager seemed stifled, turned her head away and lowered her eyes to look at Wan, yet she did not refute Xiqiu’s words.
Bilian’s gaze flickered and she hurried over to pull Lianqiao. "Aren’t you going to thank the Grand Dowager?" Lianqiao came back to her senses, finally realizing that the Grand Dowager had not meant to keep Wan for good. She crouched down and said, "This maidservant thanks the Grand Dowager on Wan’s behalf." After that, she cast Xiqiu a grateful look before reluctantly backing out.
Xiqiu took Wan into her arms, her brows tightening slightly as she gazed at the child with pity. Seeing this, the Grand Dowager couldn’t help thinking of Xiqiu’s own health. Ever since the miscarriage last time, there had been no further news, and she did not know whether her body had truly recovered. The household had been quiet to begin with, and now Min was not here either. If she could have another daughter to form the character "good" with her son, she and the fourth would have a bit more joy, and the house would be livelier.
"Younger sister-in-law." The First Madam rose, holding Zhi’s hand. "I’ll take Zhi back with me and bring him over again in a while." The First Madam had always been very fond of Zhi.
Xiqiu smiled and nodded, admonishing Zhi, "You’re not allowed to pester your eldest aunt." Zhi answered cheerfully and went out with the First Madam.
"Put her here." The Grand Dowager patted the spot by her side, and Xiqiu responded by carrying Wan over and laying her on the heated kang, then softly comforted the Grand Dowager, "Mother, the round trip to Liaodong takes no more than half a year. Although Second Brother has never traveled far before, there are people along the way to manage things for him. There shouldn’t be much hardship or danger. Please set your mind at ease."
The Grand Dowager gently patted Wan and sighed. "I know he has it hard in his heart and wants to go out and walk around, so I didn’t stop him. I just hope that by going out this time he’ll be able to think things through a bit!" With that, she shook her head, her face full of helplessness.
Xiqiu lowered her eyes and did not speak further.
After a while, Xing came in. The Grand Dowager and Xiqiu were feeding medicine to Wan. Xing came over, craned his neck to look at Wan, and asked, "Grandmother, what’s wrong with her?"
"A bit of indigestion." The Grand Dowager replied without raising her head, then asked him, "Has your father left?"
Xing pressed his lips together and nodded. "He’s gone." Then he sounded somewhat dejected. "I’m going to the school. Mr. Song is still waiting for me." With that, he left with his head lowered.
After seeing Xiao Yanyi off, the year’s end was upon them in the blink of an eye. Xiqiu asked Nanny Cen to prepare New Year gifts, then went to see Tong Xiyan. They also skipped the full‑month banquet; instead, the whole family simply had a meal together as celebration. Madam Jiang wanted to bring her back to stay for a few days, but Tong Xiyan shook her head. "It wasn’t easy finally getting out of confinement. There are many matters at home that haven’t been put in order yet!" With Madam Zhou absent, all the big and small affairs of the household required her personal attention. Fortunately Nian was very well behaved and saved her a great deal of worry.
In early twelfth month, Marquis Jinxiang and Count Dongchang both sent in invitations. Ruan Pingrong and Second Young Master Tang’s wedding was set for the twelfth day of the twelfth month.
Xiqiu asked Ruan Jingliu, "Marquis Jinxiang has sent you an invitation. Aren’t you going over for a cup of wedding wine?" At her words, Ruan Jingliu only shook her head. "Sending the proper gifts is enough. Besides, given my status, even if I were to go, they wouldn’t be happy to see me. Why go just to invite that sort of displeasure?"
Xiqiu nodded and did not press her. She then thought of the eight hundred mu of land in Tongzhou. "The Zhou Family has already agreed to transfer it to us. Fourth Master asked me to ask you, are you sure you want to buy it?"
"Of course I’ll buy it!" Ruan Jingliu answered without even thinking. "I’ve already had Sixth Master Luo prepare the seeds. As soon as spring comes, we’ll hire people to sow them." After a pause, she added, "After running it for two years, the everyday medicines needed for our medical hall will truly be self‑sufficient."
Xiqiu wanted to ask her about Second Young Master Qin, but seeing how resolute she was, she assumed things had not come to an agreement between her and Second Young Master Qin, so she held her tongue.
On the twelfth, Xiqiu still went to Chengyi Bo Mansion, because the Marquis Mansion and Count Chengyi’s family were in‑laws; compared to Marquis Jinxiang, they were one degree closer. Early that morning she went to the Marquis Mansion. The Grand Dowager was already dressed. Seeing Xiqiu come in, she smiled and said, "I was just about to send someone to see whether you’d arrived." She paused. "The two of us will go. Your eldest sister‑in‑law went back yesterday."
Xiqiu agreed, went up to support the Grand Dowager, and looked around the room, puzzled not to see Wan. The Grand Dowager seemed to understand what she was thinking and smiled. "...She’s been taken back. Keeping her here, I truly don’t have the energy to look after another child."
Xiqiu chuckled softly and walked out of the room with the Grand Dowager on her arm. "They’re all living in the courtyard. If you miss her, you can have her brought over to take a look." Then she added, "Though Lianqiao has no experience, she is, after all, the birth mother. She will certainly put her heart into caring for her."
"You." The Grand Dowager patted Xiqiu’s hand. "You’re always thinking of others. This temperament of yours..." She shook her head again. It was precisely because Xiqiu was this kind of person that she was so fond of her. "...Let her be. I have the will but not the strength anymore."
Xiqiu smiled and got into the carriage with the Grand Dowager. The Grand Dowager asked, "I hear Rong has a total of one hundred and sixty pieces in her dowry, with the Emperor’s gifted Jade Ruyi at the head?"
"Yes." Xiqiu replied with a smile. "It’s the first such dowry in the Capital in so many years." No young lady in the Capital had ever had so many dowry pieces.
The Grand Dowager listened and smiled, shaking her head. "The Ruan Family has certainly stolen the limelight this time." Xiqiu also smiled lightly. Count Chengyi’s Tang Family and the Xuanning Marquis Mansion were in‑laws, and now that Marquis Jinxiang’s Ruan Family had married into them as well, the three mansions were that much closer.
With both of them clear about this in their hearts, they turned to other topics as they went on to Chengyi Bo Mansion.
As soon as they entered the gate, a matron greeted them with a smile and bowed to the Grand Dowager and Xiqiu. "Grand Dowager, Fourth Madam." The Grand Dowager stepped down from the carriage beaming and asked, "Has everyone arrived?"
The matron bowed and replied, "Yes. Old Madam Lou was just asking—she said if you didn’t come, she’d personally come over to invite you." With that, she smiled at Xiqiu as well.
The Grand Dowager laughed heartily and walked toward the inner courtyard. "I haven’t been out in so long. On such a joyous day, of course I have to come and join in the bustle." The matron followed beside her, answering assent.
The entire courtyard was lively and bustling, firecrackers sounding without cease. Xiqiu followed the Grand Dowager into the inner courtyard, where the First Madam came out from afar to greet them. "Mother..." Then she looked at Xiqiu. "Fourth Sister‑in‑law!"
The First Madam was wearing a dark‑red overcoat today, a few degrees more festive than her usual cool and plain attire, yet her face showed little joy. While Xiqiu was quietly puzzled, the Grand Dowager had already lowered her voice to ask, "Is the Old Madam all right?"
