Near noon, Xiao Jingxi’s people sent word that he couldn’t return home for lunch and would only be back at the manor in the evening. Coincidentally, the Princess Consort also sent someone to Xiao Jinglin’s place, saying that the Prince wouldn’t be dining at the manor today either, asking Ren Yaoqi and Xiao Jinglin to come to Jiuyang Hall to accompany her for the meal.
So Ren Yaoqi and Xiao Jinglin went to Jiuyang Hall together.
As soon as the Princess Consort saw Ren Yaoqi, she smiled and said: “You’ve just gotten married, and he’s already so busy he doesn’t come home? This must be hard on you.”
Ren Yaoqi smiled: “Mother, please don’t say that. He’s busy with official matters.”
The Princess Consort smiled and patted her hand: “Recently, both father and son have been quite busy. When they’re not at the manor, you and Jinglin should come and accompany me for meals.”
Ren Yaoqi agreed.
Regarding why Xiao Jingxi and the Prince of Yanbei had been so busy lately, Ren Yaoqi had chatted briefly with Xiao Jinglin earlier. It was nothing more than matters concerning the Liao people and the court, plus the court was now urgently pressuring the Prince of Yanbei to establish an heir, so the Prince of Yanbei’s manor also needed to make some preparations.
The Princess Consort herself was a vegetarian – even the crispy tripe dish she had for breakfast was specially prepared by the kitchen as a vegetarian version. So whenever they came to dine with the Princess Consort, their dishes were prepared separately. However, the kitchen at Jiuyang Hall was already accustomed to this, because the Prince was also someone who couldn’t enjoy a meal without meat. When he was at the manor and ate at the same table as the Princess Consort, it was the same arrangement.
Indeed, as the Princess Consort had said, when it was just their family members eating together, there weren’t many rules. The Princess Consort didn’t even have the maids and matrons stand behind them to serve dishes, because the Prince felt that made dining less enjoyable.
After accompanying the Princess Consort for the meal, they sat together drinking tea to aid digestion. Afterward, the Princess Consort didn’t rush to send them away. She had received several outside guests in the morning and still had some manor affairs to handle in the afternoon, so she had Ren Yaoqi and Xiao Jinglin stay to watch her and Nanny Xin handle the manor’s internal affairs.
Xiao Jinglin truly couldn’t muster interest in these matters. After watching for a while, she began to feel drowsy. The Princess Consort glared at her several times and scolded: “Perk up! When it’s time to practice with swords and spears, you’re full of energy, but ask you to listen to proper business and you become listless! If you don’t learn these things now, when do you plan to learn?”
Although Xiao Jinglin didn’t speak, her facial expression said: Never want to learn.
The Princess Consort was almost worn down by her stubbornness and could only speak kindly to Ren Yaoqi: “You should also learn well by staying at my side. I know you must have learned household management at home and certainly learned it well, but there are some things that outsiders can’t teach about managing a prince’s manor. Learning more is always beneficial. From now on, spend half an hour or an hour here with me each morning and afternoon. I heard you also need to go to the Consort Dowager’s in the afternoon? The Consort Dowager is accustomed to afternoon naps, so you can come from here to her Lanxi Hall in the afternoon.”
Ren Yaoqi obediently agreed. The Princess Consort’s willingness to teach her was for her good, so naturally, she wouldn’t be ungrateful.
The Princess Consort was very satisfied and said sternly to Xiao Jinglin, “Every day when Yaoqi comes, you’ll accompany her. If you can’t absorb it the first time, listen several more times until you learn some skills!”
Xiao Jinglin looked at the Princess Consort, then at Ren Yaoqi, and finally reluctantly nodded.
The Princess Consort then softened her tone: “I’m not forcing you to learn things you dislike. Like needlework – since you don’t like it, I haven’t forced you to learn it. But household management is essential. Otherwise, when you marry, who will help you manage these things?”
Xiao Jinglin said matter-of-factly: “You can prepare several capable housekeepers like Nanny Xin for me, or capable maids will do…”
This statement made even Nanny Xin laugh: “Princess, we servants only carry out the master’s wishes. We dare not and cannot make the master’s decisions. What you’re learning isn’t how to run errands, but how to direct us servants to run errands for you. How can that be the same?”
The Princess Consort was both amused and exasperated, couldn’t help but lightly tap her forehead: “Nonsense talk – aren’t you afraid of being laughed at?”
Xiao Jinglin didn’t dare speak anymore, though she had always thought this way in her heart.
While they were talking, someone came in to report that Old Madam Yun and Second Madam Yun had arrived to pay respects to Consort Dowager Yun.
The Princess Consort thought for a moment: “I don’t know if the Consort Dowager is taking her afternoon rest now. First, send someone to Lanxi Hall to check. If she’s already sleeping, have Old Madam Yun and Second Madam wait until another day or wait in the side hall of Jiuyang Hall until the Consort Dowager wakes up. If the Consort Dowager isn’t napping, go ask her.”
The maid replied: “The Consort Dowager knew Old Madam Yun was coming and had already sent someone to wait at the second gate, which is why Old Madam Yun and Second Madam Yun went directly to Lanxi Hall. The Consort Dowager asked this servant to inform you.”
The Princess Consort thought for a moment and asked: “Second Madam Yun came with Old Madam Yun? Did Eldest Madam Yun come?”
The maid replied: “Eldest Madam Yun didn’t come. This time, Old Madam Yun only brought Second Madam Yun and Second Miss Yun.”
The Princess Consort nodded: “I understand. You may go.”
Nanny Xin asked: “Could Old Madam Yun’s visit to the Consort Dowager this time be about Eldest Miss Yun’s matter again?” The incident involving Eldest Miss Yun and her brother, Yun Wenfang, at the hot spring villa had caused the entire Yun family to lose face. If not for Consort Dowager Yun’s presence, the Prince of Yanbei’s manor wouldn’t have let the matter pass so lightly.
The Princess Consort shook her head: “Probably not, otherwise Old Madam Yun should have come alone or brought Eldest Madam along.”
When Old Madam Yun visited the Prince of Yanbei’s manor, she usually brought Eldest Madam Yun. Second Madam and Third Madam Yun came less frequently.
Nanny Xin thought for a moment: “Second Miss Yun also came – could it be about Second Miss Yun’s marriage? The Second Madam and Second Miss are also pitiable. Second Master Yun passed away early, and Second Madam only gave birth to Second Miss, no son. Fortunately, Old Madam Yun takes pity on the mother and daughter.”
The Princess Consort nodded without saying anything.
Compared to the first and third branches, the Yun family’s second branch was much more subdued, because aside from Second Madam and Second Miss, there was no one else left in the second branch. Old Madam Yun didn’t particularly favor the second branch – she still valued the first branch most – but she took care of Second Madam and her daughter reasonably well. At least she didn’t let them lack clothing or food, and they had everything the other Yun family masters had. However, Second Madam and her daughter kept a low profile and had almost no presence in the Yun family or others’ eyes.
Ren Yaoqi and Xiao Jinglin listened to the Princess Consort and Nanny Xin discuss Yun family matters without interrupting. Especially Ren Yaoqi, because the incident at the hot spring villa was somewhat connected to her, she now felt somewhat uncomfortable facing the Yun family.
But shortly after, someone from Lanxi Hall came to invite the Princess Consort over. Hearing that Ren Yaoqi and Xiao Jinglin were also there, Consort Dowager Yun asked them to come along as well.
Since Consort Dowager Yun had requested their presence, the Princess Consort tidied up briefly and brought her daughter-in-law and daughter along. The Yun family was her natal family, so she didn’t need to be as particular about etiquette as when receiving outside guests.
Consort Dowager Yun wasn’t receiving guests in the main hall of Lanxi Hall, but in the eastern warm pavilion where she usually took tea and rested, showing that Consort Dowager Yun was indeed close to her natal family.
When the Princess Consort brought Ren Yaoqi and Xiao Jinglin in, Old Madam Yun, who had been sitting on the southern kang talking with Consort Dowager Yun, and Second Madam Yun, who sat in a chair nearby, quickly stood up to bow to the Princess Consort. Seeing this, Consort Dowager Yun said nothing and didn’t make polite remarks about the Princess Consort being a junior who didn’t deserve such courtesy.
The Princess Consort stepped forward to support Old Madam Yun, smiled at her, then brought the two juniors to bow to Consort Dowager Yun. After rising, she helped Old Madam Yun sit back down on the southern kang.
Old Madam Yun refused to sit, wanting to give the seat to the Princess Consort. The Princess Consort said, “Please sit. I’ll take a chair. I’m the one interrupting your family conversation.”
Consort Dowager Yun spoke up: “Let her and the children sit there. We’re all old things with one foot in the grave – we don’t have many chances left to act our age.”
Only then did Old Madam Yun sit back down.
The Princess Consort had several chairs brought over and sat at Consort Dowager Yun’s lower right.
Consort Dowager Yun glanced at Ren Yaoqi: “Didn’t you say you’d come help me copy Buddhist scriptures? I’ll chat with your mother and the others. You and Lin’er take Second Miss Yun to the outer room to practice calligraphy, and have someone bring in some tea and refreshments.”
Both Old Madam Yun and Second Madam Yun couldn’t help but look at Ren Yaoqi. The Princess Consort smiled and nodded slightly at her. Ren Yaoqi hurriedly lowered her head in agreement, then left with Xiao Jinglin and Second Miss Yun.
After Ren Yaoqi and the others had left, Old Madam Yun smiled: “It seems the Consort Dowager is very satisfied with this granddaughter-in-law.”
Consort Dowager Yun said lightly, “Satisfied with what? She’s quite foolish!” Then Consort Dowager Yun glanced at the Princess Consort: “You’ll need to teach her properly in the future.”
No woman in all of Yanbei would dare call Ren Yaoqi stupid now, because no one would believe it. So while Consort Dowager Yun’s words seemed to belittle Ren Yaoqi, they were an elder’s demanding criticism of a junior who had caught her eye. Moreover, asking her to entertain Second Miss Yun was having her fulfill the duties of a hostess.
So the Princess Consort smiled and agreed, while Old Madam Yun became thoughtful.
The outer and inner rooms of the warm pavilion were only separated by an antique shelf and a curtain, so the conversation inside could still be faintly heard by Ren Yaoqi and the others. Ren Yaoqi couldn’t help but be surprised by Consort Dowager Yun’s attitude. Even now, she could still sense that Consort Dowager Yun didn’t like her, so she hadn’t expected the Consort Dowager to give her face in front of the Yun family.
Ren Yaoqi went to instruct Lanxi Hall’s maids to bring tea and refreshments. After the refreshments were served, she discovered that the outer room of the warm pavilion had no writing desk, let alone brushes, ink, paper, and inkstone. Although Consort Dowager Yun might not have wanted them to practice calligraphy, since the words had been spoken, Ren Yaoqi could only temporarily instruct someone to bring over a table and several sets of writing materials.