This pet name truly encompassed all the hopes that his elders had for him. It was clear to see how much his maternal grandfather, grandmother, and mother cherished Pang Xiao.

However, in Qin Yining’s impression, Pang Xiao had always projected an image of wild arrogance, making it truly difficult to associate him with the honest and simple pet name “Dafu” (Great Fortune). It inexplicably struck her as amusing.

Qin Yining couldn’t very well laugh out loud in front of his elders, so she could only suppress her mirth and remind herself not to be discourteous. She curtsied to Madam Ma once more: “Grand Madam, I hope you are well.”

“Good, good, good! Come sit beside me quickly—the heated brick bed is warm.” Madam Ma pushed Yao Shi aside. “You go sit over there.”

Yao Shi laughed as she scooted over. “Mother is being too partial. Now that you’ve seen your ‘granddaughter-in-law,’ you don’t want your daughter anymore?”

With this continued teasing about “granddaughter-in-law,” no matter how thick-skinned Qin Yining was, her face had already turned completely red with embarrassment. She could only sit down sideways beside the heated brick bed.

Madam Ma took Qin Yining’s hand and laughed: “This foolish boy of ours came home talking about how wonderful Sister Yi is, how this and that about Sister Yi—my ears are about to grow calluses from listening! Now it’s good that you’ve come to the capital, so Dafu won’t have to suffer from lovesickness anymore.” She ended with hearty laughter.

Qin Yining truly wished she could bury her face in her collar.

She had never encountered such a straightforward old woman. Moreover, there wasn’t even a hint of anything settled between her and Pang Xiao—there was still an enormous chasm between them. With things still undecided, Madam Ma was already speaking with such certainty, as if she would be entering the Pang family tomorrow.

Seeing Qin Yining embarrassed to this extent, her maternal grandfather Yao Chenggu lit his pipe, took a puff, and spoke in his unhurried, soft voice: “Don’t frighten the young lady. People from great households are different from us.”

Upon hearing this, Qin Yining couldn’t help but look toward Yao Chenggu.

This old man was indeed as Pang Xiao had described—he looked like an old sheep, and his tone was very gentle. However, the meaning behind his words was anything but simple.

Was he showing disdain for the Qin family? Or was he being sarcastic? Or perhaps he was telling her that the marriage between her and Pang Xiao was not simple?

Qin Yining smiled and said: “Old Master jests. If we’re talking about family status, how could a prince’s mansion be considered a minor household? On the contrary, the Yan dynasty has already fallen.”

Yao Chenggu took another puff of his pipe and smiled gently without saying more.

Madam Ma glared at Yao Chenggu: “You old thing, when women are talking, what business do you have butting in? It’s getting late—didn’t you say you wanted to stew fish for Dafu today?”

“Mm.” Yao Chenggu got down from the bed, put one hand behind his back, held his pipe with the other as he puffed on it, and ambled out.

Madam Ma laughed: “Don’t mind him. Let us women have our chat.”

Yao Shi received a delicate white porcelain bowl with gold tracery from a maid and handed it to Qin Yining with a gentle smile: “First have some almond tea to warm yourself. It’s cold outside, isn’t it?”

“Thank you, Aunt.” Qin Yining was overwhelmed by the kindness and quickly received the tea bowl with both hands.

Yao Shi was a tall, beautiful woman. This kind of beauty transcended age—it was a gentleness and wisdom that radiated from within. When she spoke, her features, which bore an eight-tenths resemblance to Pang Xiao’s, held a smile. She was as gentle as warm spring water, making Qin Yining feel extremely peaceful and comfortable.

After sipping the almond tea, the warm fragrance traveled from mouth to heart, easing Qin Yining’s nervousness.

Yao Shi smiled and said: “This is your first time in the north, and you’ve had to endure the hardships of travel during winter. The journey must have been quite difficult, wasn’t it?”

Yao Shi’s voice carried a gentleness different from Madam Ma’s.

Qin Yining couldn’t help but smile slightly: “In response to Aunt, the journey was relatively smooth, though this is indeed the first time I’ve seen such heavy snow. I lived in the northern border regions of Great Yan as a child, and back then I thought that winter there was the coldest possible. I never imagined there could be places even colder than Liang City.”

Upon hearing this, Madam Ma laughed: “Silly girl, your place is in the south compared to here. Naturally it’s much warmer than the north. When I was young, I went to even more northern places—now that’s what I call cold!”

“Yes, I used to think I was much more fortunate than those daughters of great families who grew up sheltered in their inner chambers, because I had the opportunity to live freely outside and see the world. But now I very much envy Grand Madam. The Prince said you’ve been to many places? If Grand Madam has time, could you tell me about the places you’ve visited, so I can broaden my horizons too?”

From their earlier conversation, Qin Yining could see that Madam Ma was someone with a straightforward, genuine, and extremely cheerful disposition. Her affection was also very sincere. Elderly people liked to talk about things from their youth, and she happened to enjoy listening—this was an excellent way to draw closer.

Sure enough, Madam Ma nodded happily: “Good, as long as you like to hear it.” Then she looked at Pang Xiao, who was peeling oranges and stuffing them in his mouth. “Dafu, why don’t you let Sister Yi stay here with me? I took one look at this girl and liked her immensely.”

Pang Xiao was somewhat surprised. With his mouth still chewing orange segments and not yet having time to respond, Yao Shi was already chiding: “Mother, your daughter still wants to spend time getting close to Sister Yi, and you’re competing with me for her?”

Yao Shi was a sensible person. After all, Qin Yining wasn’t a daughter of the Yao family, so naturally she couldn’t stay at Yao Shi’s place. Even though Yao Chenggu was advanced in age, propriety still needed to be observed.

Madam Ma was a straightforward person from the martial world who didn’t pay much attention to such details, but Yao Shi had once served as a maid in a great household and knew these rules in finer detail.

When Madam Ma heard Yao Shi say this, she suddenly understood and coughed somewhat awkwardly: “Don’t blame me for being presumptuous, girl. I just took one look at you and liked you.”

“How could I? I’m delighted beyond words.” Qin Yining’s smile was very sincere.

By now Pang Xiao had swallowed his orange segments and was brushing the white pith from his hands: “Grandmother, Mother, don’t trouble yourselves. I’ve just arranged for Tracing Snow Garden to be prepared for Sister Yi to stay in. Court affairs are complex, so having Sister Yi stay in Tracing Snow Garden is more appropriate right now. I still have many matters where I’ll need Sister Yi’s help.”

Madam Ma nodded understandingly: “Though I don’t interfere in outside affairs, I do know something about them. Sister Yi is a good child—you must not treat her poorly. As for those ten in your rear courtyard, if it won’t do, just send them to the estate.”

Hearing this, Pang Xiao nearly wanted to kneel before Madam Ma! The way she phrased it, even if there was nothing between him and those ten, it would sound like there was!

Seeing Pang Xiao’s expression, Yao Shi couldn’t help but find it amusing. Inwardly she sighed—it seemed her son’s heart was indeed completely bound to Qin Yining.

Yao Shi took Qin Yining’s hand: “Sister Yi, don’t think too much about it. Grand Madam is referring to the ten concubines that His Majesty bestowed upon Dafu some days ago.”

Qin Yining replied understandingly: “Aunt, I know about this matter. What His Majesty has bestowed can neither be declined nor treated poorly.” She turned to smile at Madam Ma: “Grand Madam, just let them continue living as they did before.”

She hadn’t even married into the family yet, but Madam Ma was already straightforwardly considering things for her first. She was very grateful, but she also knew that even if she became Pang Xiao’s wife, she would have no standing to say much about the concubines.

Madam Ma smiled with great satisfaction: “Sister Yi is a good child.”

Yao Shi stood up: “Mother, I’ll first take Sister Yi to get settled in Tracing Snow Garden, then bring her back when it’s time for dinner.”

Madam Ma understood that her daughter had things to say to Qin Yining, so she nodded: “You go ahead. Have Dafu stay and chat with me.”