“Miss, just now when this servant was chatting with people outside, I saw a luxurious carriage stop in front of Guilin Tower’s main entrance.”
Bingtang entered the room with slight excitement, saying joyfully: “This servant went to take a look, and the person who went to the front to inquire about Miss’s whereabouts was none other than Nanny Qin! Miss truly calculated well – the Old Madam really came personally!”
“How could she not come personally.” Qin Yining played with the brand new snuff bottle in her hands, smiling gracefully: “These past two days, people coming to call us back home have been arriving in waves without cease. There must be some matter at the manor again, and the Old Madam needs my mother to maintain appearances – she probably can’t hold up on her own anymore. Bingtang, go ask Madam to come to my room. Have Song Lan receive the honored guest outside.”
“Yes!” Bingtang’s round, large eyes were full of excited light as she ran out with small steps.
Before long, Nanny Jin, Cai Ju, and Cai Lan accompanied Sun Shi through the door.
Sun Shi took a seat beside Qin Yining, smiling: “What good news is there? Just now I saw that girl Bingtang smiling with her eyes curved like crescents, as if she’d picked up a large gold ingot.”
Qin Yining rose and got down from her seat, going to bring her mother a fruit plate and pastries, then bringing a bowl of hot tea, gently placing the blue and white covered bowl beside Sun Shi’s hand. “The people outside say that the Old Madam has personally graced us with her presence, accompanied by her personal attendants.”
Sun Shi’s hand paused as she was reaching for the tea.
Having not seen her for many days, upon suddenly hearing that the Old Madam had come, Sun Shi actually felt nervous.
Qin Yining saw through Sun Shi’s thoughts and smiled: “Mother, don’t be nervous. You need only act according to your heart. Moreover, you’ve never done anything to wrong the Old Madam.”
That’s right – it was rather the Old Madam who had shown her no sentiment whatsoever.
When Duke Dingguo’s mansion had troubles, the Old Madam’s first thought wasn’t to comfort her, but to divorce her. After that, the suppression never ceased, and after Concubine Cao entered the household, the mistreatment became even more severe.
Sun Shi’s originally wavering heart became firm once again.
“Madam, Miss, the Old Madam has arrived.” Song Lan reported with a smile from under the corridor.
Sun Shi and Qin Yining exchanged glances and rose in tacit understanding to welcome her.
The Old Madam looked at this fresh and elegant rear courtyard of Guilin Tower, feeling stifled with anger.
The single courtyard with pink walls and black tiles had blue brick floors swept clean, with a tall osmanthus tree standing to one side. Come autumn, the fragrant appearance of the tree full of golden osmanthus blossoms could be imagined.
Ascending the steps, she saw hanging on the main room’s door a light blue silk curtain embroidered with a hundred butterflies threading through flowers pattern. The curtain corners were actually weighted with two green jade gourds, and as the door curtain swayed, the light blue tassels below formed lively and elegant arcs. Just from looking at the door curtain, one could sense that the residents inside must be young women, and their mood must be quite pleasant.
When the Old Madam thought of her own belly full of anger these past days, then looked at the smiling Sun Shi and Qin Yining who came out lifting the curtain to welcome her, she felt even more as if she had eaten a pound of bitter herbs.
“Old Madam, you’ve actually come personally – this truly makes my humble establishment shine with reflected glory. Having failed to welcome you from afar, please forgive us.”
Qin Yining and Sun Shi performed courtesy to the Old Madam, then nodded in acknowledgment to Nanny Qin beside the Old Madam, before supporting the Old Madam up the steps from left and right, being so polite as if no friction had ever occurred between them.
One doesn’t strike a smiling face. With Qin Yining being so courteous, the Old Madam couldn’t very well lose her temper, so she just snorted and said, half seriously and half jokingly: “If I hadn’t come, you two probably wouldn’t have planned to return either! You were just waiting for this old woman to come personally request you!”
As the Old Madam spoke, she examined the furnishings inside the room. The luohan bed placed by the window was carved with a pattern of magpies perching on branches, with even more exquisite craftsmanship than the magpie-perching-on-branches screen in her Compassionate Filial Garden’s main room. All the ornamental objects on the floor-standing treasure cabinet were also luxurious and refined, and the bead curtain hanging from the light green gauze was actually strung with rice-sized pearls with a matte luster.
The Old Madam couldn’t help but feel somewhat bitter in her heart.
No wonder this mother and daughter pair refused to return home – wasn’t living here not much inferior to living at the manor! Who would have thought that old vegetable Duke Dingguo’s wife could, by casually giving her granddaughter a Zhaoyun Department, provide such substantial foundation.
Just how much wealth did the Zhaoyun Department actually have!
Unfortunately, this thing was registered under Qin Yining’s name, and she had no way to interfere!
The Old Madam unconsciously gripped the bead curtain in her hand, her face gloomy, the greed and indignation in her eyes almost impossible to hide.
Seeing this, Nanny Qin frowned and supported the Old Madam, fearing that being discovered would be undignified.
But Qin Yining was already smiling and saying: “Old Madam, please take the seat of honor. That’s an imperial gift bead curtain – does the Old Madam find the quality of the pearls satisfactory?”
The Old Madam was frightened and immediately withdrew her hand.
An imperial gift bead curtain – if she broke it, she couldn’t bear the responsibility!
The Old Madam sat down while praising: “Being a gift from the imperial family, hanging it up makes this entire room bright and luminous. His Majesty enjoys the wealth and splendor of the imperial family, so naturally everything he bestows is precious.”
Nanny Jin, Cai Ju, Bingtang and others nearby all lowered their heads to suppress their laughter.
Sun Shi coughed once to cover her amusement, brought a cup of tea for the Old Madam, then brought over a small stool to sit at the Old Madam’s lower hand.
“How has the Old Madam been these recent days? This daughter-in-law sees that your complexion is much better than before. With Master being enfeoffed as marquis, the Qin family has brought glory to their ancestors – I imagine the Old Madam is also in good spirits when happy events occur. It’s just a pity that this daughter-in-law’s health is poor, and having been frightened, I lack the good fortune to celebrate together with the Old Madam.”
The Old Madam looked Sun Shi up and down critically, seeing her dressed in a navy blue ruyi-patterned fitted jacket with収腰, her hair neatly arranged in a high chignon, wearing only a pure silver hairpin set with sapphires in a hundred flowers design, with collar buttons also in the same hundred flowers with embedded sapphires style. Though these were mourning period garments, they revealed luxury within the plainness.
Especially the pleasant fragrance between her breaths that mixed medicinal scents with jasmine – it was actually the jasmine hair oil from “Beauty Workshop,” the newest trend in the capital this year!
“Beauty Workshop” had risen overnight because their rouge and powder all contained medicinal ingredients with extremely refined formulations, making them exceptionally effective. The jasmine hair oil Sun Shi was using could make black hair more lustrous and slow the growth of white hair, and was now selling for fifty taels of silver per jar.
Being able to use rouge and powder from “Beauty Workshop” had already become a symbol of status among noble ladies.
The Old Madam had obtained a small jar some days ago and was thinking of saving it to use at a banquet or feast to appear dignified.
Who would have thought that Sun Shi was casually using it daily as ordinary cosmetics!
Where did Sun Shi get so much silver? Naturally it came from Qin Yining, or from Qin Huaiyuan!
The bitter feelings in the Old Madam’s belly were about to become substantial, and her words inevitably carried a sour tone: “What are you saying? I see you’re quite happy, using Beauty Workshop’s rouge and powder, wearing silk and satin, eating delicacies. You don’t look like someone recuperating from illness, but rather someone who came out to enjoy herself. If it were someone ignorant, they might guess whether you’ve found a new patron.”
Upon hearing this, Sun Shi’s expression immediately darkened.
It seemed her softness of heart had been foolish – someone like the Old Madam wasn’t worth being soft-hearted toward at all!
Before Sun Shi could speak, Qin Yining smiled and placed a dish of pastries beside the Old Madam: “Grandmother, please have some sweets to prevent bitterness of the mouth.”
“You!” The Old Madam glared angrily.
Qin Yining smiled: “I only regret being born a daughter – otherwise I would certainly strive through my own efforts to earn another phoenix crown and bridal robes for Mother. Now merely providing fine clothing, precious food, and luxurious living – how can that be considered enjoyment? Eating, wearing, and using the finest things isn’t the ultimate enjoyment in human life – having honor bestowed and being envied by ten thousand people, that is enjoyment.”
With these words, Qin Yining simultaneously criticized and praised the Old Madam, leaving her uncertain whether to be angry or to laugh.
The Old Madam looked at Qin Yining and sneered: “Your mother is fortunate to have such a capable daughter as you.”
“Doesn’t the Old Madam have the same fortune, having such a capable eldest son.” Qin Yining smiled slightly.
The Old Madam was rendered speechless by this retort, and thinking of how Qin Huaiyuan hadn’t sided with her in this matter, her anger surged up.
“Since I’ve come personally today, I think you should stop putting on airs and quickly pack up to return with me! Sun Shi, you are after all the principal wife of my Qin family, and now you’re a super first-rank noble lady. Are you really going to leave all the entertaining of guests to your husband to handle alone? What use is having a daughter-in-law like you?”
This was openly mocking Sun Shi’s lack of virtue as a wife.
Sun Shi’s face also darkened: “The Old Madam’s words are just nonsense. Though the household doesn’t have me, this super first-rank noble lady, isn’t there still Mother, a first-rank noble lady? Mother is experienced in managing the inner quarters, trained through many years – naturally she’s better than this daughter-in-law at reading situations and knowing whom to befriend and whom to distance from.”
This was a veiled criticism of the Old Madam’s opportunistic behavior.
The Old Madam’s complexion became so dark it could squeeze out water.
Sun Shi also maintained a gloomy expression and refused to yield.
Qin Yining stood to one side with lowered head, playing with the snuff bottle without making a sound.
The atmosphere in the room was like winter frost forming a layer of ice.
After a moment of standoff, the Old Madam gritted her teeth and softened her voice: “Sun Shi, if you return to the manor now, everyone’s face will look good. Moreover, there is still Concubine Cao in the household – are you comfortable leaving your husband entirely to the concubine?”
Sun Shi’s heart was bleeding, but her face showed complete indifference.
“This daughter-in-law isn’t a jealous woman. If Master likes it, I could take charge of accepting ten or eight more beautiful concubines to serve Master – I just wonder how the Old Madam would explain things to Concubine Cao then.”
“You! You stupid woman!” The Old Madam finally couldn’t bear it anymore, stood up abruptly, and raised her hand to strike Sun Shi’s face.
Sun Shi was startled and cried out in alarm.
Qin Yining hurried forward to intervene.
But in the confusion, the Old Madam’s slap landed on Qin Yining’s hand, knocking the snuff bottle she was playing with flying to the ground.
The glass snuff bottle made a sharp shattering sound, and a rich minty snuff fragrance filled the room.
The Old Madam was about to continue her rage when Qin Yining said with a pale face: “It’s over, it’s over, Grandmother, you’ve caused great trouble! That snuff bottle was the Empress Dowager’s beloved item when she was alive, an old treasure that accompanied the Empress Dowager for over thirty years – even the Empress must kneel when seeing that snuff bottle! His Majesty just rewarded it to me, and Grandmother has shattered it – if His Majesty learns of this, how can we possibly explain!”
Upon hearing this, the Old Madam’s mind buzzed. She looked at the shattered snuff bottle on the ground, then at Sun Shi and Qin Yining, and angrily scolded: “How dare you casually take out imperial gifts to use! Don’t you know to store them properly!”