Chapter 29: Older Sister (Part 2)

  Suddenly, there was a faint sobbing sound coming over.

  Mrs. Tao, who was walking in front, stopped suddenly.

  Wu Niang had come back to her senses and stood smiling in front of the curtain: "Mother, this sheep fat jade Buddha's hand is really beautiful, but was it carved from a whole piece of sheep fat jade?"

  Mrs. Tao turned around, and in her gaze at Wu Niangzi, there was an uncontrollable surprise and admiration: "This Buddha's hand is indeed carved from a whole piece of sheep fat jade! It turns out that Miss Wu is interested in these things." As she spoke, she led the two to the multi-treasured cabinet in the west room, "There are also some jade utensils on display here, Miss Wu can take a look."

  Deliberately letting them avoid and evade.

  The fifth daughter smiled and said: "Thank you, mom. I just want to broaden my horizons."

  The eleventh girl smiled slightly.

  The more proactive you are, the safer you will be!

  She stood with Wu Niang in front of the multi-treasured cabinet, admiring the various jade ornaments and porcelain displayed inside, while Tao Mama listened intently to the movements coming from the eastern room.

  All three of them were somewhat absent-minded.

  Fortunately, this situation did not last long. A little girl in a red dress and blue-green apron came out from the western room: "Tao Mama, the lady says to invite the two young ladies inside."

  They were about to meet Luo Yuanni, who could manipulate their future... Although Wu Niang and Shi Yi Niang didn't show any unusual expressions on their faces, they both felt a sudden "thud" in their hearts.

  Mrs. Tao immediately responded with a "yes", smiling and inviting the two of them into the western wing room.

  Eleventh girl lowered her eyes and followed Tao's mother around the screen into Yuan's bedroom, then quickly glanced to the right according to the general layout of the bedroom.

  The large red canopy of the black lacquered bed was embroidered with silver threads, and a woman of about twenty-five or six years old leaned against the headboard, her face pale and tired. She wore a dark blue satin jacket with white jasmine flowers, and her raven-black hair was neatly combed into a round bun, with a golden pin inserted at the temple. Her pale face was thin and gaunt, but her black eyes shone brightly as she gazed at the large madam sitting on the edge of the bed, whose eyes were still red from crying, and her whole face radiated the joy of a mother-daughter reunion.

  Such a Luo Yuanniang...

  The eleventh girl was somewhat unexpected.

  She had guessed countless times. Thought she would see a cold and arrogant girl, or a strict and solemn woman, or a woman with a sad expression but sharp eyes... Unexpectedly, she actually saw a gentle and even childish Luo Yuanniang!

  "It's been so many years in the blink of an eye." A strange voice with a few smiles, "The little girl who always followed me has grown into a slender and elegant young lady!"

  "Big sister!" The fifth daughter, who was walking in front of the eleventh daughter, suddenly knelt down with a sob, "I... I miss you so much... Do you still remember the osmanthus sugar you brought back for me from Hangzhou Prefecture?" By the end, she was already whimpering and sniffling.

  The eleventh girl immediately followed suit and knelt down, bowing her head and lowering her hands, looking very gentle.

  "Hurry up, the floor is cold!" A gentle voice with a hint of reproach, "You're already so big, why are you still like before, crying and kneeling down at every turn..."

  The maidservants immediately came over to support them.

  Eleventh girl didn't move, her eyes glanced at Fifth Girl, seeing that she stood up, only then did she follow and stand up.

  "Come sit with us and have a chat, it's nice to talk with sisters."

  As soon as the words fell, a maid brought in a brocade quilt and put it beside the bed.

  The Fifth Girl and the Eleventh Girl got up and thanked her, then went forward to kowtow to Yuan Niang and formally performed the sisterly ritual. Immediately beside them, a quick-witted maid brought over a brocade cushion and placed it on their knees before they had even knelt down. After they finished kowtowing, another maid immediately came forward to help the two of them up.

  The maid's movements were quiet and swift in response.

  Eleventh girl was secretly surprised that the maids in Yuan's house were well-trained, and at the same time, she sat half on the brocade stool in front of the bed with Fifth Girl.

  There were maids serving tea and fruit.

  Yu Niang smiled brightly and sized up the two sisters: "Wu Mei has been beautiful since she was a child, and there's not much difference from what I had in mind. As for Shi Yi Mei, this is my first time seeing her. Looking at that pointed chin, it seems to resemble Wu Yi Niang somewhat. However, this hair follows me, black and dense."

  The eleventh girl heard someone mention her, her face slightly red, she lowered her head and muttered to herself for a long time, it was unclear what she had said, looking very shy and uneasy.

  "What's the matter with you?" said the old lady with a smile, "That was your grandmother's."

  Yuanniang's mouth slightly curled up, and everyone followed suit, bursting into laughter. The atmosphere in the room became even more lively.

  The young lady ordered her maid: "Come and take out the two carved red lacquer boxes under my pillow."

  The maid responded and squatted down, taking out two palm-sized round boxes from under Yuanniang's pillow.

  "Sister doesn't know what you like, thinking that there are still two pieces of jade pendants in her hand, she let someone find them out." She said, gesturing to the little maid to give the carved red lacquer box to Wu Niang and Shi Yi Niang, "One piece for each of you, wear it and play with it!"

  Yuanniang spoke politely, but the two of them wouldn't really think that those two pieces of jade pendants were just "taken out of hand", so they got up to thank and solemnly accepted the box.

  "Open it and take a look," Yuan Niang said with a smile, "see if you like it?"

  Wu Niang and Shi Yi Niang were both in a daze.

  Is there any reason for the person who is giving a gift to unwrap it?

  The older woman also said on the side "Open it and take a look, it's your elder sister's little heart", the two no longer hesitated, each opened the box in their hands.

  Smooth and translucent, pure white without blemish, like condensed fat, one look is enough to know it's a top-quality sheep fat jade.

  Two pieces of jade are both one inch square, but one is carved with plum blossoms on the branch head "joy above eyebrows", and the other is carved with a bat holding pomegranate in its mouth "many children bring good fortune".

  What does this mean?

  Is the channel still not working?

  Is it "overjoyed" or "more children more blessings"?

  Eleventh girl looked at the "many children, many blessings" jade pendant in her hand with a mixture of emotions, while Fifth Girl's face lit up like the jade pendant itself.

  "Thank you so much!" Her smile reached her eyes, "I love it."

  Eleventh girl nodded in agreement with Fifth Girl's words: "Really beautiful."

  Yuanniang smiled slightly and nodded: "As long as you like it!"

  As soon as she finished speaking, a maid respectfully said from behind the screen: "Madam, Young Master Yun has arrived!"

  Yuanniang's face lit up immediately: "Come in quickly!"

  Immediately, a tall and stately woman with a plump figure came in, carrying a small boy wearing a large red silk brocade jacket with ten embroidery patterns, followed by two maids with bright eyes and white teeth.

  But everyone's eyes fell on that child.

  His skin was fair and delicate, his eyebrows were fine, and he looked like a pretty doll. However, he was only about two or three years old in stature, and there was a hint of weakness around his eyes, which clearly showed that he was not well.

  "Brother!" The old lady came forward with tears in her eyes and stretched out her hands to hug him.

  He turned his head and hid in the bosom of the woman who was holding him, with a small golden bangle on his hand ringing out a burst of chaotic sounds.

  The lady's expression stiffened slightly.

  She's just shy!

  The big wife pulled at the corner of her brother's garment with a scolding expression: "It's all because I rarely come to see him."

  The woman holding Rong'er smiled and said, "If you must blame someone, blame our family's young master for being too young." As she spoke, she held Rong'er and performed a curtsy: "Rong'er pays his respects to Grandmother!"

  The maids all called him "Master Yun", but this woman called him "Yun Ge", it seems that she should be Yun Ge's wet nurse.

  Eleventh Sister thought for a moment, then saw the big wife smile and take over a red lacquer gold-plated box from Mrs. Xu to hand it to her brother: "This is a gift from grandma. A inkstone. Use it when you grow up."

  The maid who came in with Brother Yun stepped forward and curtsied to Madame, thanking her on behalf of Brother Yun.

  "Yuan Niang pointed at Wu Niang and Shi Yi Niang: 'Jun Ge, this is your fifth aunt, this is your eleventh aunt!'"

  Fourth Brother heard his mother's voice and immediately lifted up his head, glanced at Fifth Sister and Eleventh Sister, then quickly buried his head in the woman's bosom again. Fifth Sister and Eleventh Sister did not dare to tarry, hastily stood up.

  The woman then held Tongge and said "Tongge greets Fifth Aunt" and "Tongge greets Eleventh Aunt", and made a curtsy to Fifth Lady and Eleventh Lady respectively.

  Both of them said "I don't dare" in their mouths, and they accepted it with a sideways body.

  The Fifth Daughter then pulled out a peach wood Fu card from her sleeve, "This is the one I copied from the Blood Classic and had it consecrated by Master Hui Zhen of Ci'an Temple when I was there. Let's give it to Brother Jun as a gift for their meeting!"

  Eleventh Sister sent a set of bright red, gold-embroidered, jade-green cheongsam with cyan bamboo patterns, along with shoes and socks: "Made it myself, with all my heart."

  The maid who followed Brother Yun came forward with a smile and thanked him on behalf of Brother Yun, taking it over.

  Everyone sat down again, and the maids changed the tea.

  The woman then carried Rongge to Yuanni's bedside, knelt down and was about to pay her respects, when Rongge suddenly lifted his head, stared at Yuanni with wide eyes and shouted "Mother".

  The mother's face immediately softened: "Bring him over to me!"

  The woman hesitated for a moment and put Yu Ge beside Yuan Niang.

  The little brother rolled over a few times and then crawled into his mother's arms.

  "Easy, brother!" The woman holding him trembled with fear as she stared at the child, but Yuanni smiled and stroked her son's soft head: "It's okay."

  The woman was about to say something, when Mrs. Wang turned her head and started talking to Mrs. Wang: "Why not invite Brother Miao and Yang Ge too? Our Jun Ge likes playing with Yang Ge!"

  The lady smiled and said: "I had someone send the earthware to your second uncle and third uncle's house early on, I was afraid they would send someone back with a gift, so I let her stay at home to help out."

  The mother-in-law said with a frown, "You're really something. Since that's the case, why not come another day? Your father is going out to visit friends, your brother is going to the Imperial Academy to study, and you've brought all the younger sisters out, leaving your sister-in-law alone at home with her son, which isn't good."

  "I know you want to be a likable lady, but don't take advantage of me." The old lady smiled and said, "I asked her about it, she said you're not feeling well, and your brother just recovered from a cold two days ago. She's afraid that if we all come, it'll disturb you and your mother, so she wants to wait until your brother is better before bringing him over."

  The girl smiled and said: "Don't blame me - apart from me, your daughter, who can speak to you like this, who else can say that to you?"

  Madam's eyes turned red as soon as she heard it.

  Yuanniang said hastily, "You rarely come to Yanjing, I'll have my father accompany you to see the scenery of Yanjing tomorrow. Bring me back a few strings of candied hawthorn."

  The big wife's face turned red as she listened, then, as if trying to cover something up, she made a "tsk" sound and laughed: "Look at this, where is the demeanor of someone who has become a mother? You're still thinking about sugar gourds from the street. I'll go tell your mother-in-law later, let her make you ten or eight strings of them, so that you get fed up just looking at them."

  Yu Niang covered her mouth and smiled: "The sugar gourd made by Grandma is delicious, the one you bought for me is also delicious."

  Her hands covering her mouth had bulging blue veins like an eighty-year-old crone.

  The lady felt a pang in her heart as she watched.

  Good things have finally arrived, but unexpectedly my daughter... thinking of the Xu family's wealth and luxury, my daughter is in charge of the dowry, where did that little food come from? Saying this is just to show off in front of me. The daughter who was more precious than a pearl at home, once she became someone else's wife, even if I wanted to say something about her own mother being good, I would have to mention her mother-in-law... She felt sorrow rising up, and tears fell down uncontrollably!

  Yuanniang also looked at him with slightly red eyes.

  No matter how I try to amuse Mother, my illness is like a thorn stuck in her throat, hurting even when it's not moving, let alone when it's stirred up...

  (Sorry, sorry...... I've been revising this article until now...... and rewritten it n times......)