Full House Spring

Chapter 37: Not surprised by favor or humiliation
The eldest wife's eyes sparkled with satisfaction, as if all her good intentions had been rewarded, and she quickly echoed:
"Mother is wise. Those empty tricks are just for show. Just a basic understanding is enough. The most important thing now is to take Qing He out for more walks..."

Before she finished her words, a maid came in to say that the second wife had come to pay her respects to the old lady.

Luo's voice arrived before her. She said in a clear voice, "Let me see what our eldest daughter has become now."

After saying that, she lifted the curtain and walked in. Behind her was a group of people. In addition to the fourth girl, she also brought the concubine's son Lu Lingyan and the concubine's daughter Lu Zhiyao.

Lu Qinghe lowered her eyes, an expression of shame that was difficult to conceal. Without being reminded, she stood up and bowed deeply to Luo.

"Qing He, pays respects to Auntie. It was all my fault before. Not only did I disrespect my elders, but I almost caused a disaster. Now I have deeply reflected on it. I hope Auntie will forgive me!"

Her action caught everyone in the room by surprise. Luo was stunned for a moment, then she reacted and hurriedly walked up to her to help her up, saying kindly:

"That happened so long ago that I had forgotten about it a long time ago. You were so polite, girl. Now you have grown up and become more beautiful, and your demeanor has changed. You have really improved a lot."

The old lady narrowed her eyes slightly, a satisfied smile appeared on the corner of her mouth, and she said in a gentle voice: "Yes, this is the demeanor that the eldest daughter of the Duke's Mansion should have."

The eldest wife was so happy about this that she wiped her tears and said, "In that case, shouldn't we take Qing He out to meet people? She is now of marriageable age, and her absence has caused gossip among the ladies..."

Luo's eyes flickered, and she quickly responded, "Mother, what the eldest sister-in-law said makes sense. Our daughter has seldom been out in the past few years, and the invitations sent to her have piled up. Not only has the eldest daughter reached the age of marriage, but the second daughter in our room is also the same."

Lu Zhiyao, who had always had no sense of presence, was suddenly mentioned. A deep blush appeared on her face involuntarily. She pinched the corners of her clothes with both hands, stirring them unconsciously.

Mrs. Luo couldn't stand seeing her unpresentable appearance, and a flash of disdain flashed across her eyes. The old lady also frowned subconsciously.

Although the eldest wife was not happy that Luo had brought the second daughter out to steal the limelight, she had no choice but to endure it at this time. She continued, "Taking the children out for a walk is for people to see them, and for people to see our family tradition. Lingchuan's marriage has not yet been decided..."

The eldest wife has all white hair due to working hard in recent years. She looks not much different from Mrs. Luo, but they look like two generations apart.

In the old lady's mind, the lifelong event of her eldest grandson was the most important, and everything else could be put aside. She stroked the Buddhist beads in her hand and asked in a deep voice, "Does Jianxing have any opinion on this matter?"

The eldest wife was worried when she mentioned this. She frowned and said, "The Duke said that I don't need to intervene in this matter, but Lingchuan is already an adult and he hasn't made any move. It's really frustrating."

The old lady turned her Buddhist beads and said nonchalantly, "Since he has made arrangements, you don't have to ask about it. The affairs of the court are no different from other things. One move can affect the whole body... Have any invitations been sent to your house recently?"

Luo took over the conversation and said, "I heard that the Dongyang Marquis's Mansion sent an invitation yesterday. Is there a plum blossom viewing banquet in their mansion?"

The eldest wife pursed her lips tightly, her unhappy expression was obvious, and she said in a cold tone: "That's right, the invitation is for all the ladies in the mansion, and the date is five days from now."

Mrs. Luo slapped her thigh happily and said cheerfully, "Isn't this just like sending a pillow when you are sleepy? Now that the eldest daughter is back, it's just right for her to take the younger sisters out to appreciate the plum blossoms. Our daughter is surrounded by the old ancestor. Who wouldn't be envious?"

After she said this, the old lady did not object. Lu Qinghe said embarrassedly: "Grandma, I mostly wear plain clothes when I practice in the ancestral temple. I am afraid I don’t have good clothes to wear when I go out to appreciate the plum blossoms. I am afraid that I will be laughed at and bring shame to the mansion..."

The old lady said casually, "Why don't you ask the embroiderer in the mansion to make a set of the most fashionable clothes? If it doesn't work, you can go to the clothing store to buy them. I will pay for it... and buy one for each of the girls in the mansion."

The eldest wife nodded in agreement with a smile on her face. Lu Qinghe then pretended to look at the maid standing beside the old lady and whispered softly, "The maids who serve Grandmother are really outstanding. Except for Shi Mi and Bai Shao, I can recognize them. The others look very unfamiliar to me."

Lu Wanqiao, who had not spoken much since she came in, chuckled and said, "Big sister, are you looking for Xia Li? Isn't she standing on the right side of grandma? Big sister almost ruined her appearance. Do you want to apologize to her?"

Lu Qinghe's eyes were as deep as the sea, hiding an unspeakable power. One glance at him and you would know that he was not someone to be trifled with.

Xia Li lowered his eyes and bowed to her gently. Lu Qinghe raised a faint smile and said in a gentle voice, "Why is Fourth Sister still as talkative as when she was a child?"

Lu Wanqiao's cheeks puffed up with anger, and she was about to retort but was stopped by Luo's glare.

Lu Qinghe turned around and continued, "Xia Li is so well-groomed, and looks more elegant than the other girls in the mansion. No wonder mother always praises you in her letters."

As soon as these words were spoken, the second girl, Lu Zhiyao, showed an unnatural stiffness in her expression. It was obvious that the girl who was not as good as a maid was referring to her.

After hearing this, Xia Li's eyes were as calm as a lake, and she said softly, "Miss, you are too kind. How dare I compare with you? It's just that I have been with the old lady for a long time, and I have been tainted with some wealth and nobility. It's all thanks to the old lady."

Lu Qinghe looked at Xia Li with a scrutinizing gaze, and after a moment, smiled.

"That's quite interesting. Grandmother's aura of wealth and nobility can't just be passed on to the maids who serve her closely. We, your legitimate granddaughter, should also share some of it with her."

The old lady laughed so hard that she couldn't help but scolded, "You bad girls, how dare you make fun of an old woman like me."

Lu Qinghe said softly, "I'm not kidding. Look at the extraordinary nobility that grandma exudes in her every move. It makes people respect her. The dark-patterned brocade dress she wears is just right. The embroidery is so exquisite that it makes people envious. Could it be that it was all made by Xia Li?"

The old lady looked at Xia Li with kind eyes and nodded slightly, saying, "You are right. None of the embroiderers in this mansion are as skillful as Xia Li. I have asked her to dress up beautifully. She is also a filial child."

Mrs. Luo took over the conversation and said, "Mother, what you said is not right. You are dressed in a riot of colour. Whenever you go out, every old lady will envy you for your clothes. This is all thanks to Xia Li."

Everyone in the room was talking at the same time, it was almost like a commendation meeting for Xia Li. Xia Li had a faint smile on his face and he looked unperturbed by praise or criticism.

Lu Qinghe had a blank expression on her face, and it was hard to tell what she was thinking. After everyone had finished speaking, she said leisurely, "Xia Li's hands are so skillful, I wonder if grandma can spare her and let her make a dress for me, so that I can stand out at the plum blossom viewing banquet."

As soon as these words came out, the whole room fell silent. The eldest wife had no time to hide her surprised expression and subconsciously scolded, "What are you doing in Huqin? Xia Li doesn't have enough time to make clothes for the old lady, how can she spare time for you to serve her?" Lu Qinghe raised her eyelids and said calmly, "Mother, don't panic. Maids are there to be served. Xia Li is clever and skillful. I think if she stays up a few more nights, she will definitely make my wish come true."

The eldest wife's face turned pale, and the calm and composed Aunt Xie said expressionlessly:
"What the eldest lady said makes sense. Maids are indeed used for service. However, New Year's Eve is approaching, and the auspicious clothes for the old lady to visit the palace and the clothes for meeting guests are still being made. If I give you a few days, my girl will damage her eyesight. How can she serve the old lady in the future?"

Lu Qinghe was a little surprised. Apparently she had been away from home for too long and didn't know the relationship between Nanny Xie and Xia Li.

Although she was the granddaughter of the old lady, she had never been filial to her for a few days. The relationship between them was weak, not as close as Xia Li and the old lady. The old lady showed a hint of displeasure on her face and said in a deep voice:

"There are many embroiderers in the mansion. Your mother's dowry also has a maid with outstanding embroidery skills. Don't try to snatch my woman's away. What if she damages her eyesight from overwork?"

Lu Wanqiao, who was watching the fun, did not mind getting involved and said, "Big sister is so unfilial. Xia Li is still Grandmother's maid at the very least. You have to look at the owner before you beat the dog. She has ruined her eyes. How can Grandmother be the most exquisite old lady in Kyoto?"

The old lady was amused by her words and scolded her with a smile: "You monkey just knows how to tease me. I will make you copy the female ring a hundred times carefully."

Lu Wanqiao quickly covered her mouth and stepped back, pretending to be well-behaved. Lu Qinghe's expression was slightly gloomy, and she forced a smile and said, "It's my granddaughter who didn't know the inside story. I hope grandma will forgive me."

The old lady's eyes were filled with disappointment. She said calmly, "It's okay. I'm tired too. Go and have a good chat with your father and brother."

Lu Qinghe had a stubborn smile on her face and said in a low voice, "Yes, granddaughter, I'll take my leave!"

As soon as she left, the others followed suit and bowed and left. After everyone had left, the old lady said to Aunt Xie, "It is easy to change the country, but it is difficult to change one's nature. This girl has a little cleverness, and I don't know whether it is good or bad."

Aunt Xie supported the old lady and comforted her softly, "Children and grandchildren have their own blessings. You can't take care of them for the rest of their lives. It's the right way to let them wade through the river on their own."

The old lady nodded slightly. She was old and not very energetic, so she couldn't take care of too much.

The maids relaxed when the master was away. Mai Dong said carelessly, "Xia Li, the eldest lady looks like she has a grudge against you. When have you ever offended her?"

Before Xia Li opened his mouth, Chan Yi sneered:

"You know how Fang Xiali was promoted to the second-class maid position back then, right? Although she saved the old ancestor, she also made the eldest girl hate her. The two of them together are a glaring contrast, constantly reminding the old ancestor how reckless and stupid the eldest girl was. If you were you, would you tolerate her hanging around in front of you?"

Maidong was suddenly stuck. Xiangru glanced at Xiali and hurried forward to defend her, "Sister Chanyi, you are too serious. How can a grown-up girl be so petty? Don't impose your ideas on others."

Chan Yi looked at her with deep eyes, half smiling, and said with contempt, "You are a good person, but you look so weak, and you change your face faster than turning the pages of a book. Do you have the right to interrupt me when I'm talking?"

There were layers of light mist in Xiangru's eyes, and he said with great grievance: "I just want to persuade them to reconcile, why do you have to prick everyone with thorns on your body?"

Chan Yi was too lazy to pay attention to her. She looked at Xia Li and said meaningfully, "Just wait and see. Sooner or later, you will fall flat on your face. Don't let me laugh at you then."

Xia Li had known her for so many years and was well aware of her temperament. He looked at her quietly and said calmly, "Thank you, Sister Chan Yi, for reminding me."

There was a light in Chan Yi's eyes that others could not understand. She curled her lips, flicked her sleeves and left.

Xiangru couldn't guess what Xia Li was thinking at the moment, so he said worriedly, "What if the older girl comes to pick a fight with you in the future?"

Xia Li said calmly, "I have neither done anything to offend the ancestors nor violated the rules of the mansion. Even if she wants to cause trouble, she must have a reason."

Bai Shao walked up to Xia Li, took her arm and said, "What you said makes sense. We can't live in fear because we are a grown-up girl. Let's go to the back room and ignore all this nonsense."

Xia Li smiled apologetically at Xiangru and followed Bai Shao's force to move forward. Maidong walked to the side of Xiangru and watched the two of them leave. He felt that something was not right...

Xia Li didn't take today's little episode to heart. She didn't waste her time or get tangled up in it. She continued to do her job calmly. After work, she accompanied Qiao He for dinner, and her mood was not affected at all.

He went to check on Madam Xie's room again when it was time to light the lamps, but when he didn't see her, he went back to his own room. At this moment, the shadows on the wall in the room were dancing with the candlelight. Xia Li was sitting at his desk practicing calligraphy.

This desk was obtained from the old lady by her grandma. In her previous life, she had written every word in calligraphy in a very standard way. After years of continuous copying, her calligraphy has acquired some style.

Before she finished writing a page, there was a sudden knock on the door. Xia Li's hands trembled, and the ink dripped onto the paper. She frowned slightly, shook her head with some regret, and raised her voice to ask, "Who is it?"

Outside the house, Man Qing cried out in tears, "Xia Li, it's me, please open the door..."

Xia Li's eyes suddenly became deep. She took two steps at a time and reached out to open the door. The cold wind was howling outside and snowflakes were falling down. Man Qing's hair was disheveled and she didn't even have a cloak on her body.

She entered the house and tightly grasped Xia Li's wrist. Her frail body was trembling as she said in panic, "Xia Li, the old lady sent people to confiscate my home. My father just died... You have a say in front of the old lady, can you help me plead for mercy..."

Xia Li's eyes were full of pity. She could feel Man Qing's pain and helplessness, but she still shook her head cruelly and said, "I can't help you, and you can't ask the old lady for mercy yourself."

Manqing lowered her head silently and loosened her hand around Xia Li. Her back seemed to be bent and she was in great pain.

"Okay, if you don't help me, I'll kneel outside the old lady's door and beg her."

She turned to leave, and Xia Li said coldly:
"The old lady had the idea of confiscating your family property several years ago. She waited until your father died before taking action. This was to give him enough face. You and your mother cannot keep that ill-gotten wealth. The most important thing right now is to save your life."

(End of this chapter)