Min: "..."
There was no need to ask anymore. She knew what Nan Nan liked.
Money and gold.
That preference was rather... practical.
As it happened, Min had a pair of little gold horse paperweights in her storeroom. She sent Zang Chun to fetch them and put them in a box.
Jian Ruonan had knelt in the Ancestral Hall all night. Well, not exactly-she could sleep while kneeling, though it wasn't very comfortable.
But for a slacker like Jian Ruonan, who could sleep wherever she lay down, that was good enough.
In the morning, Min brought her back to Westglow Garden. Still half asleep, she suddenly found a box thrust into her arms.
Jian Zhang acted with the force of thunder and the speed of lightning. In a single night, he had gotten to the bottom of almost everything about Madam Zhou's baby swap all those years ago.
After confirming that Jian Ruonan was indeed her biological daughter, Min gave her not only a pair of solid gold horses, but also a gold neck ring weighing seven or eight taels.
Jian Ruonan: !!
[My own dear mother!!! She's truly beautiful and kind!!!]
[Wang Defa, praying to the ancestors really works!!]
She would go pray again the next time she had a chance.
Min: ??
Who was Wang Defa now?
It sounded like a young gentleman's name. Could he be the young man Nan Nan fancied? She would have to make some discreet inquiries in advance.
Min knew how difficult life was for women. She hoped both her daughters would live in harmony with their husbands, like a zither and its companion sounding in tune, and would respect their wishes when it came to marriage.
At that thought, Min began worrying about Xilu's marriage again.
Jian Xilu was sixteen this year, and Min wanted to keep her at home until she was eighteen before marrying her off. At the end of last month, they had exchanged betrothal certificates with Duke Dingguo. The certificates had been sent to the Imperial Astronomical Bureau to check the couple's birth-chart compatibility, and the results would likely arrive in another two days.
This compatibility check was merely a formality. Generally, if both families were satisfied, the Imperial Astronomical Bureau would pronounce an auspicious verdict such as "a match made in heaven."
If they wanted to cancel the marriage, they had to bribe an official at the Imperial Astronomical Bureau before the results came back, having him say that their birth charts were incompatible and they should not marry. That would put an end to the matter. Otherwise, backing out after the auspicious match had been formally accepted might leave Xilu with the reputation of having been rejected, making it difficult to arrange another good marriage.
So today, Min decided to take Jian Ruonan to visit the Duke of Ping's family. Meanwhile, Jian Zhang had also begun secretly investigating whether Gao Yang was keeping three mistresses outside his home.
Jian Ruonan caught up on her sleep in the Green Gauze Alcove at Westglow Garden. She had only just turned over when a young maid arrived outside the door with washing supplies.
Zang Chun considerately asked, "Fifth Miss, would you like to get up?"
Jian Ruonan yawned. Thinking of how she was now a young lady of the Marquis's Estate, surrounded by servants, with only to stretch out her arms to be dressed and open her mouth to be fed, she nearly laughed aloud.
Life without overtime was wonderful. She would sleep a little longer.
Jian Ruonan waved Zang Chun out, rolled over to face the inner room, pulled the covers over her head, and went back to sleep.
Zang Chun: "..."
Every morning, Min had to go to Joy and Longevity Court to pay her respects to Shi-shi and attend to her breakfast. Who knew what had gotten into Shi-shi today? She had made Min stand under the covered walkway for over an hour. When Min returned and saw a whole row of maids outside the door, she asked quietly, "Is she still asleep?"
Zang Chun nodded, covering her mouth as she laughed. "We've called her several times, but she simply won't get up."
Min smiled helplessly. Her younger daughter must have exhausted herself praying so earnestly for wealth last night.
She never ate well at Old Madam's, so after returning, Min usually had some bird's nest porridge, pastries, or something else to fill her stomach.
Min had just had the pastries set on the table when she saw the person beneath the covers wriggle.
Min uncovered the bird's nest porridge. As the delicious aroma spread, a fluffy head poked out from beneath the quilt.
Then Min heard someone swallowing their saliva.
The maids couldn't help snickering.
"I've saved your breakfast. Sleep a little longer if you like," Min said with a smile.
Jian Ruonan had more or less slept her fill. She sat up with a bird's nest of hair on her head, making the young maids struggle to contain their laughter again.
Seeing that Fifth Miss was finally up, a young maid immediately offered a blue-and-white Ru Kiln teacup. "Fifth Miss, moisten your throat."
Jian Ruonan took it and lifted the lid. A floral fragrance wafted into her face. The blue-and-white Ru Kiln teacup held fine floral water, refreshing and pleasant. After one cup, every pore in her body felt nourished.
As soon as she finished the floral water, a young maid handed her a warm towel. Jian Ruonan wiped her face and hands, changed into a pale green gauzy dress with the maids' help, and then another young maid took a wooden comb to arrange her hair.
Young girls in ancient times wore simple hairstyles. After combing her hair, the maid picked up a bottle of osmanthus oil from the dressing table, poured some into her palm, rubbed it between her hands, and moved to apply it to Jian Ruonan's hair.
Jian Ruonan leaned back to avoid the maid and asked, "What's that?"
The young maid replied, "Fifth Miss, this is osmanthus oil. It's applied to your hair."
Jian Ruonan didn't like putting things on her head. A clean, fresh scalp was best. "I don't want that."
Once she had finished washing and dressing, Min personally fastened two purses to her waist. "One holds a fragrant pouch, and the other has some loose silver for tipping maids and such."
"You've only just returned from the farm estate. Would you rather keep living with me, or have a courtyard of your own?"
Jian Ruonan thought it over. "I'll stay with you for two months first, Mother. Once I'm familiar with everything, I'll live on my own."
Min smiled. "That works out perfectly. Nan Nan, just ask me if there's anything you don't understand."
Jian Ruonan agreed with a smile.
[My dear mother really is so gentle. Beautiful and gentle-she's practically a fairy descended to earth!]
[Now this is living!]
After the bird's nest porridge, Min was going to take Jian Ruonan and Jian Xilu to visit the Duke of Pingguo Residence. Before leaving, Jian Ruonan went to Old Madam's courtyard to pay her respects.
Great Xia placed the utmost importance on filial piety. From now on, she would have to pay these respects every day.
"When you see Old Madam shortly, don't be too nervous. Just answer whatever she asks." Madam Shi never showed much warmth toward the women of the Elder Branch. Their usual interactions were little more than a show of courtesy.
Neither Min nor Jian Xilu was close to Old Madam.
Jian Ruonan's visit was likewise just a formality.
Inside Joy and Longevity Court, Madam Shi was listening to an older servant joke and gossip.
"That Fifth Miss is such a country bumpkin. She's never even seen hair oil. When the young maid combed her hair this morning, she asked what osmanthus oil was..."
Shi-shi laughed. "Only brought home at ten years old-with manners that coarse, who knows whether anyone will marry her?"
As Jian Ruonan walked, she asked the system to dish out gossip: [System, give me some juicy gossip about Old Madam?]
The system: [Coming right up.]
[Old Madam is talking about your gossip with an older servant right now.]
Jian Ruonan: [What gossip is there about me?]
The system: [They're saying you're a bumpkin who doesn't know what hair oil is, and that no one will marry you.]
Jian Ruonan: [No one will marry me?]
The system: [Yep.]
Jian Ruonan exclaimed with heartfelt feeling: [Not getting married is a good thing!]
[Old Madam is surprisingly nice.]
The system: "..."
The system: [Shouldn't you be focusing on who leaked that information?]
Jian Ruonan: [Who leaked it? Old Madam even planted a spy in my mother's rooms?]
The system: [A maid named Wen Xue.]
Jian Ruonan: [Oh, I'll ask for that maid later and find an excuse to send her away.]
Joy and Longevity Court was the largest courtyard in the entire Marquis's Estate. They passed along the covered walkways, around a large standing screen, through a three-bay hall, and across the front courtyard before finally reaching the main rooms.
Shi-shi sat on a huanghuali daybed chair. Jian Ruonan stepped forward and paid her respects.
"Good child, you've suffered. Come here and let your grandmother look at you." Old Madam wore a vermilion jacket patterned with clouds and a set of gold hair ornaments. Her forehead band was set with a gold-mounted jade bead.
Old Madam was over fifty, but thanks to careful upkeep, she looked only a little over forty. Being somewhat plump, she spoke a little breathlessly.
Although Shi-shi disliked the Elder Branch's family, she maintained appearances quite well, presenting herself as an affectionate grandmother.
Jian Ruonan slowly approached. Shi-shi reached out to take her hand, but just before their hands touched, a familiar mechanical voice suddenly rang out-
[Ding-] [Old Madam has athlete's foot.] [Old Madam likes picking at her feet.]
Jian Ruonan, who had looked like a frail, delicate little girl a moment before, suddenly sprang away, as nimble as a startled cat.
[Oh my god, athlete's foot is a fungal infection! It's contagious!]
[Thank goodness we didn't hold hands. That was close, so close-I nearly caught it!]
[Who would've thought such a kindly grandmother was actually an old foot-picker in private! And she has athlete's foot!]
Min: "..."
Jian Xilu: "..."
Before you continue