Chapter 8: The Marquis's Estate Before the Family Banquet

She had rarely stepped outside when she was in Xuzhou, and it was even more so after coming to the Western Capital, so she had never even heard of things like the Moon-Embracing Tower or the Qiqiao Festival. Had her eldest sister not mentioned it today, her father probably wouldn't have thought of these things either.

Therefore, she cast a grateful glance at Jiang Shiyuan, and then spoke respectfully to Jiang Huaihan:
"This daughter will listen to Father and the eldest sister."

She had always been well-behaved and had never given Jiang Huaihan cause for worry. Seeing her gentle and humble expression, Jiang Huaihan could not help reaching out to stroke her forehead as he considerately replied:
"The inner courtyard is under the charge of the Old Madam. As for many matters, your father knows that you and your Aunt Yang have suffered grievances. Tomorrow, I will have someone go to the tailoring shop to pick out a few nice dresses for you. Summer is here, and there are many banquets; a young lady cannot do without these."

"If Father is gifting dresses, then this daughter will send over a box of jewelry. A lazy person like me is usually most afraid of wearing such things; leaving them in my room would only waste them, whereas it would be best if the Third Sister does not disdain them."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Shiyu hurriedly waved her hands, a trace of unease in her eyes, and immediately replied:
"How could I dare to disdain the kind intentions of Father and the eldest sister? It is just that, as a little girl who rarely steps out, wearing such items would still be a bit too ostentatious. So let us forget about it; the clothes and jewelry I have right now are already very good."

Jiang Shiyu was naturally easily contented, much like Aunt Yang.

Yet Jiang Shiyuan did not wish for her to remain so plain throughout her prime years, especially after seeing her maternal aunt and cousin-in-law so often. Deep down, she felt that a woman should be just like them—cherished and tenderly cared for, whether in her maiden home or her marital home.

Thus, a twinge of heartache arose within her, and the gaze she directed at Jiang Shiyuan held a bit more comfort.
"Family members do not speak such hollow words. The Third Sister should simply accept them. In your flower-like years, you naturally ought to dress up properly."

Jiang Shiyu felt an inexpressible wave of emotion.
She had not met the eldest sister very often, but this care shown toward her was extremely precious. Previously in the inner courtyard, she had heard her grandmother and second aunt mention that the eldest sister should be a delicate, sickly, and unapproachable young lady from a prestigious family. She had not expected her to be so amiable, and naturally, a great deal of closeness grew in her heart toward Jiang Shiyuan.

Seeing the unease fade slightly from Jiang Shiyu's face, Jiang Shiyuan felt genuinely happy for her.

The father and daughters chatted idly about household matters, and before long, they arrived.

As Jiang Shiyuan's group stepped down from the carriage, they saw Steward Qing Bo, who had been waiting by the gates for quite some time. Seeing the Jiang family arrive, a smile bloomed on his face as he immediately stepped forward to pay his respects:
"This old servant greets the Chief Administrator, and greets the eldest young miss."

Then, his gaze swept over Jiang Shiyu for a moment before he respectfully asked:
"And this young lady is..."

"Steward Qing Bo, this is the third younger sister from our household. Today, she came along with us to pay her respects to her maternal grandmother."

"So that is how it is. This old servant greets the Third Young Miss Jiang."

"Greetings, Steward Qing Bo."

Feeling somewhat nervous, Jiang Shiyu immediately returned a half-bow, deeply afraid of any impropriety that might cause the people of the Marquis's estate to look down upon her.

Compared to her constraint, Jiang Shiyuan at this moment felt the joyous freedom of a fish returning to the water.
Looking at this familiar place, her face was filled with bright and radiant smiles. Already a beauty by nature, this smile made her appearance even more breathtakingly peerless.

"Has maternal grandmother been well these past few days?"

"Everything is well, everything is well. It is just that the Old Madam constantly misses the eldest young miss, and her appetite has been a bit smaller than before. However, after the Young Master Pei and the Third Young Master returned, they managed to amuse the Old Madam so much that she can eat a full large bowl at every meal."

Hearing this, Jiang Shiyuan chuckled softly.
"Maternal grandmother is still as childish as ever."

"What the eldest young miss says is true. Please go on inside; the Marquis, the Madam, and the young masters have been waiting for quite some time inside."

"Very well."

With that, the three of them, guided by Steward Qing Bo, entered the gates of the Marquis Wenyuan's estate.

Unlike the refined and elegant layout of the Jiang residence, the Marquis Wenyuan's estate struck one immediately with an aura of immense wealth. Everywhere the eye could see were intricate pavilions and storied towers; with every step came a new scenery, and amidst the winding streams and flowing waters stood carved beams and painted pillars of grand extravagance.

The ancestors of the Marquis Wenyuan's estate had once overseen the Salt Transport Office, which was a lucrative post indeed.
Forty years ago, the old Marquis took over this responsibility, traveling alone to Jiangnan to inspect and investigate. Not only did he encounter numerous dangers along the way, but his single-hearted loyalty to the imperial power never wavered. In the end, he helped the state treasury recover nearly eighty percent of its profits, establishing monumental military and civil achievements.

The aging Emperor naturally witnessed this, knowing that he had not used his official position for personal gain, and thus bestowed generous rewards upon him. Combined with the accumulated wealth of the estate from previous generations, it possessed an absolute fortune worth tens of thousands of gold.

Entering the hanging flower gate, one could see covered corridors winding along both sides. In the central hallway stood a purple sandalwood frame with a marble screen. Passing around the screen brought one directly to the main courtyard.

Although Jiang Huaihan was a son-in-law of this family, it was improper for him to go directly into the inner courtyard, so he remained in the front hall to wait for his wife's brother, the Marquis, and his nephews to arrive. Meanwhile, Jiang Shiyuan led her younger sister, Jiang Shiyu, further inward.

Beyond the front hall lay a section of wing-rooms connected by winding mountain corridors. Five formal principal rooms stood imposing and magnificent to the eye. Many maidservants and older matrons stood outside the doors, and the moment they saw the group approaching, they immediately bowed and offered greetings, displaying strict and meticulous etiquette.

Amidst them, a maidservant with a familiar face quickened her pace and came forward with a smile. After executing a graceful and poised courtesy, she spoke:
"Just moments ago, the Old Madam was still asking why the eldest young miss had not yet arrived. And as luck would have it, speak of Cao Cao and Cao Cao arrives."

"Huamei, your tongue is truly sweet. Judging by this, the honeyed preserves in maternal grandmother's room must all have been rewarded to you."

Jiang Shiyuan teased lightly. The maidservant Huamei was not upset in the slightest; instead, she quickly lifted the curtain to invite them inside and made her announcement:
"The eldest young miss has arrived."

As the two sisters stepped through the door, they caught sight of an Old Madam with hair as silver as frost, sitting in the very center and listening to her daughter-in-law and granddaughter-in-law speak. The moment she saw Jiang Shiyuan enter, even before the girl could pay her respects, the Old Madam hurried forward herself, gathering her into her arms and crying out endearingly:
"You little ungrateful thing! You promised to come see your maternal grandmother after a few days at home, but look at you—you've been gone for ten days or half a month without even sending someone back to deliver a single letter. Aren't you afraid your maternal grandmother would miss you so much she'd fall ill?"

Old Madam Wang was plump and rosy-cheeked, possessing the dignified demeanor and charm of an elderly matriarch belonging only to a flourishing household. Her eyes brimmed with boundless affection as she looked at Jiang Shiyuan, gazing until tears welled up in her eyes, prompting Jiang Shiyuan to immediately take out her handkerchief and gently wipe them away:
"Maternal grandmother, set your mind at ease. Isn't your granddaughter here now?"

Behind them, the maternal aunt Lady Pei and cousin-in-law Lady Xiang walked over together, hurriedly comforting Old Madam Wang with these words:
"Today is a day of reunion, so the Old Madam must not grieve. If you cry until your eyes turn red, I am afraid those young rascals outside will start making a fuss again, trying to dig up all sorts of bizarre things just to make you laugh."

Hearing this, Jiang Shiyuan let out a long, bright laugh, her eyes sparkling with amusement as she asked:
"This granddaughter heard Steward Qing Bo say that ever since the Third Cousin and Cousin Pei arrived, Grandmother has been happy enough to eat a full bowl of rice every single day. It seems grandmother's claim of missing this granddaughter was merely a passing fancy after all."

At her words, Old Madam Wang chuckled and scolded playfully:
"Those two mischievous monkeys act like fools before me every single day, performing all sorts of antics; even if I didn't want to laugh, they'd still manage to crack me up. Once I'm tired from laughing, naturally I end up eating a few more mouthfuls of rice. Since you're back today, you can see for yourself what kind of amusing tricks they've dug up this time."

As soon as Old Madam Wang spoke, everyone else in the room burst into laughter. While the family members chatted and laughed animatedly, Jiang Shiyu, standing off to the side, felt somewhat restless and slightly ill at ease.