As Liu Chang took two steps toward Madam Xue, Rong Niang, and Ying Niang emerged together. They curtsied and smiled, “Grandmother misses the two little treasures and asked us to bring them in first.” With that, they took Zheng’er and Xian’er from their wet nurses and cheerfully headed to the back.
Madam Xue smiled, “These two girls are becoming more unruly as they grow.” She took Mudan’s hand and whispered, “Aunt Li is here to apologize.”
Mudan raised an eyebrow, “It’s been years, and she’s only now thinking of apologizing? In my opinion, she’d have been better off not coming at all.”
Madam Xue also smiled, “Indeed. Everyone had almost forgotten about it, but seeing her brings it all back. Perhaps she felt a visit was necessary to express sincerity. Your mother thinks that since she’s here, we shouldn’t make things difficult for her.” It was truly a case of fortunes reversing – Madam Cui surely never imagined there’d be such a day.
Mudan replied, “I understand. Wasn’t this all cleared up before? Whether she looks at me or not, Mother has already let her in. I won’t be inconsiderate.”
Madam Xue laughed, “I know you won’t, but seeing her like this, she’s probably not sincere and feels very resentful. She just casually mentioned to your mother about being confused at the time. She likely won’t seriously apologize to you, her junior. If she says something unpleasant or shows an unfavorable expression, just pretend you didn’t hear or see it.”
“I understand,” Mudan linked arms with Madam Xue. “Sister-in-law has been working hard lately…” The two entered the courtyard arm-in-arm, already hearing laughter from within.
At the curtain, they saw Ying Niang crouching in the room, blowing hard on a colorful paper pinwheel. Zheng’er and Xian’er were reaching up for it, Zheng’er drooling profusely and shrieking, while the slightly more refined Xian’er tightly hugged Zheng’er’s arm, afraid he might snatch it away.
Everyone burst into laughter. Madam Cen pointed at Ying Niang, jokingly scolding, “You wicked elder cousin! You have two, yet you only bring out one to tease them.”
Ying Niang laughed mischievously, “If I brought out both at once, how could we see this amusing scene?” She moved the pinwheel closer to Xian’er, delighting her while frustrating Zheng’er, causing another commotion.
“These two little imps are making my ears ring,” Mudan smiled as she entered. She glanced at Madam Cui, who looked uncomfortable next to Madam Cen and curtsied, “It’s been a while since I’ve seen Aunt. I hope you’ve been well.”
Madam Cui looked even more uneasy. She stiffly accepted Mudan’s curtsy and forced an awkward smile, saying flatly, “I’ve been unwell for some time, only recently feeling better. Realizing I hadn’t visited relatives in a while, I decided to go out.” Everyone knew why she hadn’t come, and no one had asked for an explanation, yet she volunteered one. Unfortunately, mentioning her recent recovery reminded everyone of the reason for her illness, and knowing looks spread across their faces, thinking she was inviting trouble.
Seeing these expressions, Madam Cui felt another wave of frustration. She added, “I’ve been wanting to see these children for a long time, but circumstances prevented it.” She then waved two red envelopes in front of Zheng’er and Xian’er, “Come, darlings, take your great-aunt’s gifts.”
Rong Niang and Ying Niang brought the children over, teaching them to greet her. Madam Cui looked at them closely, then suddenly smiled, “Xian’er is the younger sister, right? Why is she so much smaller than Zheng’er? She should be given more nourishment. How much did she weigh at birth? She must be a year old now?”
“They’re fourteen months old. Twins are often smaller at first but will catch up naturally,” Madam Cen replied, displeased. Everyone knew that Jinr, the eldest daughter of the Nineteenth Lady, had weighed over seven jin at birth and was robust. The Nineteenth Lady and Mudan had given birth around the same time, so how could Madam Cui not know the children’s ages? She was jealous and deliberately belittling the twins’ size. Was this how one sought forgiveness and apologized? If she wanted to please Li Xing’s father, she could have just been nice to him. There was no need to accept all of the Cui family’s rudeness. If she had shown some humility, they could have overlooked it, but this was stirring up trouble. Was she bored?
“Oh my, I brought some fruit over, not realizing we had such an esteemed guest. Perfect timing for a meal,” Madam Zhen entered, looking neat and fresh. She smiled, quickly scanning the room before smoothly continuing Madam Cui’s topic, “Greetings to Aunt. When Jinr had her full moon celebration, we heard you were unwell. We wanted to visit but didn’t dare disturb you. Fortunately, you’ve recovered. Otherwise, with the Nineteenth Lady due to give birth soon, if you were still ill, there would only be Uncle and Xingzhi – two men – left to manage. How would that work?” She then casually greeted Madam Cen, “My family sent some fresh fruit today, so I brought some for Father and Mother to try.”
Madam Cui trembled with anger, hating Madam Zhen intensely. She knew she had come here to be insulted. Madam Zhen… always hitting where it hurts most. Everyone knew why she had been ill – wasn’t it because the Nineteenth Lady had given birth to a daughter? The reason for her gradual recovery was that the Nineteenth Lady was pregnant again, and people were saying it was a boy. By suggesting she might fall ill again when the Nineteenth Lady gave birth, wasn’t Madam Zhen cursing the Nineteenth Lady to have another girl? Madam Zhen was truly venomous! Although angry, Madam Cui hadn’t forgotten her purpose for visiting today. Ignoring Madam Cen and Madam Zhen’s casual conversation, she forced a smile and said, “Daughter-in-law, you’re overthinking. I’m not afraid of you laughing at me, but the Nineteenth Lady comes from a noble family and has real abilities. I’ve let her manage the household, and she does it so well… Even if I were ill when she gave birth, the family wouldn’t fall into disarray! Indeed, she’s not comparable to daughters from lesser families.”
With this one statement, she had insulted everyone present. All the women there were inferior to the Nineteenth Lady. Apart from having wealthy natal families, none of them had officials in their families. Weren’t they all from “lesser families”? Madam Cen had initially wanted to stop Madam Zhen from causing trouble, thinking a diplomatic response would suffice. But hearing Madam Cui’s words, she coldly smiled and turned away, pretending not to have heard, focusing on playing with the children instead.
The atmosphere instantly cooled.
Madam Cui, not yet satisfied, noticed the change in everyone’s expressions. Earlier, while not exactly friendly, they had all worn smiles. Now they were visibly cold, especially Madam Cen, who wouldn’t even look at her. Suddenly, her heart sank, and she felt some regret. Yet, she also felt she hadn’t said anything wrong – daughters from lesser families indeed couldn’t compare to those from noble houses. Why else would all those nobles strive to marry women from the five great clans? But she truly regretted her words and wanted to say something to smooth things over. Thick-skinned, she tried praising Mudan: “How has Mudan been lately? She looks much healthier than before, and her attire is truly elegant. These children are also beautiful, smart, and lively. A son and a daughter – what rare good fortune.”
Mudan smiled faintly, “Thanks to Aunt’s blessings, my health has improved. As for the children, I never expected such fortune. Initially, I only hoped for a safe delivery, which would have been a blessing enough.”
Madam Zhen, always quick to read the room, saw Madam Cen’s expression and knew she wouldn’t be scolded even if she pushed a bit further. She took Mudan’s arm and smiled brightly, “Mudan has always been modest, but such fortune doesn’t come by chance. Even daughters from lesser families, if blessed, can become noble ladies and officials’ wives, sought after by others. And daughters from great houses, if unlucky, can’t hold onto mountains of gold and silver! They end up having to beg others!” Turning the conversation, she glanced sideways at the now red-faced Madam Cui and continued, “Speaking of this pair of children, without boasting, it truly is a rare fortune. When I was young and ignorant, I was so focused on standing out. But then I had two daughters in a row, and oh, how I cried! I even fell ill during my confinement… It was Mother’s gentle nature that comforted me, leading to the birth of He Yue. In the end, it’s kindness that brings future blessings!”
If there was one thing about Madam Zhen, it was that she never let go once she had the upper hand. Seeing that Madam Cui cared so much about whether the Nineteenth Lady would have a son or daughter, she deliberately hammered this point, stepping on Madam Cui’s sore spot repeatedly.
Madam Cui was furious. Apart from her dissatisfaction with the issue of heirs, she had been accustomed to smooth sailing. In the past, when she visited the He family, who didn’t treat her with respect? Even when the Nineteenth Lady later managed the household finances, she still revered Madam Cui as her mother-in-law and never mistreated her. The He family were truly low-born; once they gained some power, they became arrogant! How could they forget how they had once begged her family? Her eyes reddened with boundless grievance, feeling that the world had declined and human hearts had grown cold. She had made just one mistake, and that was unavoidable, forced by the He family. How could they not understand a mother’s heart? Fine, if minor grievances led to major chaos, and today she needed their help, she would have to endure their trampling. She steeled herself, closed her eyes, and said, “I…”
But before she could continue, Madam Cen coughed lightly and said sternly, “Daughter-in-law, why are you gossiping about such trivial matters in front of guests? Fortunately, we’re among family. If it were outsiders, wouldn’t they laugh at your impertinence and say the He family lacks manners?”
“Mother is right to criticize me! Look at my loose tongue.” Madam Zhen quickly covered her mouth, crouched in front of Madam Cui, curtsied, and said with a smile, “Aunt, please don’t mind me. I’m just a crude person who says whatever comes to mind. I can’t compare to the Nineteenth Lady’s refinement and discretion.”
This apology infuriated Madam Cui even more. She struggled to contain herself and said stiffly, “I know your personality. I won’t take offense.”
Madam Zhen smiled demurely, lowering her head, “Indeed, Aunt has always been farsighted. How could I compare?”
Seeing that this was turning into a session of sarcasm and mockery, Mudan quickly interjected with a smile, “It’s been just a few days, and sister-in-law has become so eloquent.”
Madam Zhen replied meaningfully, “Mudan, you don’t understand. People change. Today I might be lowly, but tomorrow I could be high and mighty. So… one should always treat others kindly.”
Madam Cui could no longer bear to stay. With reddened eyes, she stood up and said, “I’m not feeling well. I’d like to leave now.” As soon as she finished speaking, the women of the He family swarmed around her.