A Set of Hair Ornaments

The old madam said, "You youngsters, go and welcome your elder sister."

At her words, the expressions of everyone in the room shifted, and they all fell into thought.

The Marquis's residence had sent several parties to fetch Xu Xi, but she had refused every time, unwilling to return. Everyone had been looking forward to a good show. They thought that even if Xu Xi were eventually brought back, the old madam would surely take a dislike to her, and her days afterward would be hard.

But judging by the situation now, that did not seem to be the case.

Sending people to welcome her was giving Xu Xi face.

Zhao Ruyu frowned.

This was becoming less and less like her previous life. Back then, the old madam had not given Xu Xi nearly so much face. Let alone a welcome, not everyone had even gathered. None of the young masters had been there; only Lady Wei, Lady Su, and a few young girls had been present. After a hasty meeting, they had all dispersed.

Xu Xi's putting on airs had not only failed to make the old madam dislike her, but had instead made the old madam value her.

She lowered her eyes and wrung her handkerchief.

Seeing that she was not moving, Zhao Rurui hurriedly pulled her to her feet and out of the group, and together with the others, they answered, "Yes."

"Grandmother, although I'm older than our sister, I'm overjoyed to have another younger sister. I'll go welcome her with the others too," Zhao Rurui said.

"Yes, yes, fourth sister has spoken my very thoughts," Zhao Ruxin of the first branch hurriedly chimed in.

Among the children in the room, apart from Zhao Ruxin, Zhao Rurui, and the eldest young master, Zhao Jingli, who was half a shichen older than Xu Xi, the others were either the same age as Xu Xi or younger. Though the old madam had meant to observe the proper order between elder and younger and had called only the younger brothers and sisters to welcome her, Zhao Ruxin and Zhao Rurui were both born of concubines and did not dare put on airs and remain seated. Had they not seen the eldest young master Zhao Jingli and the second young master Zhao Jing'an get up too?

Although Zhao Jingli was only half a shichen older than Xu Xi, and Zhao Jing'an older by half the time it took to drink a cup of tea, they were both her elder brothers.

"Go on, go on." The old madam was naturally happy for the brothers and sisters to build their affection, and waved them off with a smile.

And so the nine children of the Marquis of Suiping's Residence all went out to welcome Xu Xi.

After leaving the hall, Zhao Rurui deliberately slowed her steps and said quietly to Zhao Ruyu, "Sister, it's all right. Didn't the old madam ask you to stay for dinner last night? She only told us to welcome her because there's a proper order between elder and younger, and elder brothers should be kind while younger siblings show respect. Don't think too much of it."

Zhao Ruyu frowned again and said indifferently to Zhao Rurui, "I'm not thinking too much of it." With that, she pulled her arm free of Zhao Rurui's grasp, quickened her pace for a couple of steps, and caught up with Zhao Ruxin.

Zhao Rurui's smile froze on her face.

In the past, though Zhao Ruyu was a legitimate daughter, she had been kind and had never looked down on Zhao Rurui, her elder sister born of a concubine. And because of Lady Wei's harsh treatment, the two had sympathized with each other as fellow sufferers, so the sisters had always been close.

But for some reason, Zhao Ruyu had turned very cold toward her a few days ago.

Had she done something wrong?

Zhao Rurui was utterly at a loss.

The group went down the steps, and just as they reached the entrance to the main courtyard, they ran into Lady Zhu and Xu Xi coming in. Lady Zhu briefly introduced the two sides, then led Xu Xi straight into the main hall.

"Mother, I've brought Miss Xi back," Lady Zhu said with a smile to the old marchioness as soon as she entered, patting Xu Xi.

She turned to Xu Xi. "Miss Xi, this is your grandmother."

A maid had already set out a brocade kneeling cushion. Xu Xi sighed, bowed to the demands of these feudal rites, and kowtowed to the old madam.

Lady Zhu had been afraid that she would not know the proper etiquette and would embarrass herself at the meeting, giving everyone in the residence cause to laugh at her. So she had reminded her in the carriage to kowtow to the old madam upon entering; as for everyone else, a curtsy would suffice.

The old madam came forward herself and helped Xu Xi up. "Good child, it's good that you're back, good that you're back." Whether she was truly moved or putting on an act, she wiped her tears with a handkerchief.

The others in the room all began to make a show of wiping away tears.

Xu Xi: "..." Should I cry a little too? But I can't squeeze out any tears. What should I do?

Fortunately, the old madam did not dwell too long on sentiment. She raised a hand toward the side, signaling a maid to open the brocade box she was holding, and smiled at Xu Xi. "This is your grandmother's gift to you on our first meeting."

Xu Xi glanced into the box and saw a set of gold hair ornaments inlaid with jade. Leaving the gold aside, the jade was lustrous and translucent, of even finer quality than the jade hairpin Lady Zhu had put in her hair. The entire set contained a dozen or so pieces and was clearly worth a great deal.

From this, one could see how wealthy and grand the Marquis of Suiping's Residence had once been. Even though its fortunes had declined, it could still produce such fine things.

When the others in the room saw the set of hair ornaments, their expressions all changed, and their gazes toward Xu Xi grew more complicated.

The fine things in the Marquis of Suiping's Residence had been pawned or sold, and valuable items had been given away one after another. Everyone knew that even the old madam and the first madam had few fine things left.

Yet the old madam was willing to give something so fine to Xu Xi. Clearly, she placed great importance on this granddaughter who had just been brought home.

Only...

Their gazes swept back and forth between the first madam's face and the second madam's.

Although Xu Xi had been left to wander outside and suffered a great deal, she belonged to the second branch after all. The second master was born of a concubine and had no blood relation to the old madam; in time, he would establish a separate household. Something so fine ought to have been kept for the first branch. Now that it had been given to Xu Xi, would the first madam really have no objection?