Chapter 218 - 217: Cold Tea
The schemes and plans of that old fox, Duke Jing, have become apparent to most people by now.
It’s true that everyone looks out for themselves.
That the Old Master guards against Aunt Liao is understandable, though it might be a bit excessive.
Once something is done, it’s expected to be dealt with graciously. But now it seems quite unbecoming to discard the donkey after the mill has been run.
You can tell from the Old Duke’s wife’s attitude towards Princess An Ran that they no longer care whether Aunt Liao will do something extreme. In their eyes, they already have a winning move; Aunt Liao has no choice but to obey.
When people leave, the tea gets cold. What’s leaving is the Young Master’s wife, but it’s Aunt Liao’s tea that has cooled.
Under such circumstances, the expressions became subtle when people looked at the Young Master’s wife’s biological son and daughter kneeling in front of the spirit tablet.
Aunt Liao knelt for about an hour, then suddenly collapsed.
The funeral hall became chaotic, with calls for the doctor and attempts to revive her at the philtrum.
In the Flower Hall, the Old Duke’s wife was so furious she almost passed out. Aunt Liao was stirring up trouble, and by tomorrow, everyone would know that an aunt collapsed in the funeral hall and nearly caused Princess An Ran to miscarry.
But who could have anticipated this?
If it had been known that Princess An Ran was pregnant, the Old Duke’s wife would never have acted as she did.
Regrets came too late to be of any good now.
They could only endure it for the time being.
When Du Yunnuo and the Liao Family returned to the Du Mansion, they were utterly exhausted.
Du Yunnuo wasn’t someone to hide her feelings, but she felt uneasy. She lay on the couch until the moon rose above the willow and couldn’t resist taking Qian He to Anhua Courtyard.
Du Yunluo didn’t expect her to come so late, so she invited Du Yunnuo to sit down. After serving tea, Jin Ling left the room.
"Fourth Sister, what’s the situation in the Duke Mansion?" Du Yunluo spoke first.
Du Yunnuo took a sip of hot tea.
Even at night in June, it was suffocatingly hot; yet, after drinking the hot tea, Du Yunnuo didn’t feel the heat. Instead, she felt somewhat at ease.
She recounted the events from Duke Jing Mansion one by one.
Du Yunluo listened silently and couldn’t find words for a long time.
"Who would have thought before that the Old Duke’s wife had such a temper," Du Yunnuo sighed.
Du Yunluo replied, "Previously, there were concerns, but now the situation is settled, and they’re no longer concerned with pretending to be the ideal grandparents."
From the selection of a replacement spouse’s appointment, the Old Master lost his patience. Hence, he was swift in finalizing Princess An Ran’s marriage, no longer needing to show a well-thought-out concern for her.
Even the Old Master changed, let alone the Old Duke’s wife.
"The County Princess’s pregnancy..." Du Yunluo paused before continuing, "Huo Ziming values it greatly? That’s a good thing. With the County Princess doing well in the Elder Mansion, at least Aunt Liao can breathe a little easier."
The sisters chatted aimlessly for a while, and seeing the hour growing late, Du Yunnuo finally got up and returned to Anfeng Courtyard.
Early the next morning, Uncle Enrong and his wife appeared at Duke Jing Mansion. Though they didn’t stay long, many witnessed it, and naturally, news got out.
It seemed Uncle Enrong and his wife were highly dissatisfied with how Princess An Ran was treated at the Duke Mansion.
In the Elder Mansion, the child was valued. Although the Old Duke’s wife might claim ignorance of Princess An Ran’s pregnancy, her attitude yesterday was utterly unacceptable.
Is that how a grandmother treats her granddaughter?
All are respected families; even when the maids or women servants in the house are unwell, they’re not scolded or cursed this way.
For a while, Duke Jing Mansion was at the center of a whirlpool. If it weren’t a time of mourning, the palace might have already spoken out.
Once the Young Master’s wife’s funeral and burial were over, things improved a little.
The new wife was supposed to enter within a hundred days. Originally, Duke Jing Mansion intended to choose a nearer date, but due to these events, it had to be postponed until the hundred-day period was almost over.
During this time, Du Yunru sent the nanny from her chamber back to the Du Mansion.
Mrs. Zhen asked all about it in detail and, learning that Li Baine had been sent back to the Li Family by Madam Shao, nodded with satisfaction.
She also mentioned Miss Shao, who had been suffering from heatstroke these two days and was lying ill in the room. Madam Shao had someone watching her, not allowing her to wander around, so she couldn’t go roaming in front of Du Yunru.
When Shao Yuanzhou returns to the mansion in early July, with her husband by her side, it will all be peaceful for more than half a month.
Mrs. Zhen felt reassured after hearing this and rewarded Shui Yue with some broken silver.
Time flew to the end of June; though each courtyard put out ice basins, it was hard to chase away the summer heat.
Du Yunluo felt only slightly cooler after eating a bowl of ice.
Seeing her absent-minded, Jin Rui asked, "Miss, are you worried about Jin Ling?"
Du Yunluo nodded.
Since the last incident, this was the first time Jin Ling went out alone.
Such matters couldn’t be spoken of, so Jin Ling couldn’t ask anyone to accompany her for courage. Jin Rui understood, but there was no reason for the two big maids to go out together; Jin Ling had to go alone.
Jin Rui comforted Du Yunluo, "Miss, don’t worry. How could every outing be met with ill-intentioned people?"
Du Yunluo gave a noncommittal hum.
She hadn’t mentioned the matter of Ma Dehai to Jin Rui, lest Jin Rui start nervously fretting along with her. That Ma Dehai, no matter how capable, couldn’t reach into the Du Mansion, and Jin Rui, a born-and-raised girl, usually wouldn’t venture out alone, so she wouldn’t encounter him at all.
But Jin Ling...
This girl even said she wanted to return the beizi to Yun Qi’s sister...
It was late in the afternoon when Jin Ling returned, excited. She didn’t go to the West Wing but came straight to find Du Yunluo.
Seeing her looking normal, Du Yunluo felt relieved and asked, "Is everything at home alright?"
"With your blessings, everything’s fine," Jin Ling replied cheerfully and then leaned in to whisper to Du Yunluo, "Yesterday when I took the beizi, Yun Qi’s sister said that Yun Qi left the capital yesterday, saying he was going to meet the Princely Heir. The Princely Heir should arrive in the capital by early tomorrow at the latest."
Upon hearing this, Du Yunluo’s eyes sparkled brightly.
Mu Lianxiao had been away for more than two months, and he was finally coming back.
Though they would not meet, just being in the same capital was cause for excitement.
In the Shuifu Garden, Miao Family was bustling about tirelessly.
July would witness both the Qixi Festival and the Ghost Festival; everything needed preparation. Most pressing on her mind was Du Yunying’s marriage.
Busy as she was, she eagerly anticipated Du Yunying’s grand wedding but now felt a sour reluctance as it approached.
No matter how reluctant, the girl had to be sent off.
Miao Family dismissed the messenger wives, drank a cup of hot tea, and said to Quan Yin, "Send someone to ask Yun Ying and Yunluo what fruits and vegetables will be used for the carved melons this year, so they can start preparing early."
Quan Yin nodded and was about to leave when Miao Family stopped her.
"Yun Ying’s carved melons are unsightly; let her fry the pastries instead. Just ask Yun Luo," Miao Family sighed.
Quan Yin sent a young maid to Anhua Courtyard.
After hearing her out, Du Yunluo remained silent.
It wasn’t that she hadn’t yet decided on a design; she already had an idea. If she could carve Mu Lianxiao’s gallant figure on a horse...