Chapter 6: The Plan

At almost noon, just a few hours before the originally scheduled time for the funeral, a number of relatives, friends, and colleagues of Xu Junying from the imperial court arrived, bringing their families along. They had initially come to mourn and attend the funeral of the Xu family’s eldest daughter in law, but the situation had suddenly changed. What was meant to be a funeral had turned into a celebration of someone’s miraculous recovery. The reversal of a somber event into a joyful one, much like the other way around, stirred the emotions of those present. Guests streamed in continuously, with the men being ushered to the main hall, where they were greeted by the family’s male servants, and the women being directed to the back courtyard. The old lady, Xu’s grandmother, instructed that all guests, no matter who they were, should be seated in the Jin Hua Hall.

The Jin Hua Hall, where the old lady resided, was a large, bright courtyard with a southern facing orientation. The courtyard was adorned with beautiful ponds, unique rocks, and elegant pavilions. Flowers of various kinds bloomed year round, and there were cranes and mandarin ducks among other waterfowl swimming in the shallow pond. However, due to recent snow, the flowers were covered with a thick layer of snow, and the waterfowl had been moved to warmer quarters. The guests could only enjoy the distinct winter scenery of the courtyard.

The grandly decorated main hall was filled with the sound of laughter and chatter, as wives and ladies from prominent families in the capital mingled. These women were often idle, seeking to pass time, and they came to gossip, particularly when there were rumors or scandal to enjoy. It was less about showing concern or offering condolences and more about filling their own empty lives.

Previously, Qin Meinang had been a person of modest temperament, not one for socializing. But today, she had no choice but to step forward and host the guests. Xu’s grandmother had personally given her a thorough lesson, and Meinang listened attentively, humbly accepting her advice.

When it came time to greet the guests, Meinang fully displayed her public relations talents from her previous life. Dressed in fine clothes, with a charming and graceful demeanor, she moved through the crowd of noble women like a butterfly among flowers. Her sweet smile, soft voice, and engaging conversation won everyone over, making them feel respected and important. Most of the women, whether familiar or not, were put at ease and left in good spirits.

Madam Zheng, who had just lost a son, had no intention of showing herself, but several of her peers women of similar age and rank had brought her a gift and came to visit her. Reluctantly, she made an appearance, supported by her sister in law, Madam Gui, who stayed close by. Together, they chatted with a few elderly noble women while the atmosphere outside remained entirely under Meinang’s control.

Xu’s grandmother smiled warmly, her gaze toward Meinang alternating between approval and indifference. Madam Gui only conversed with one or two familiar ladies, while Madam Zheng appeared faint and low in spirits, glancing anxiously at Meinang from time to time, understanding more than anyone the complex emotions the old lady had toward Meinang.

Ning Rulan had already arrived at the Xu residence. The front courtyard was bustling with activity due to the visiting guests, and she wasn’t personally greeted by the old lady. Instead, she was carried in through a side gate in a sedan chair, quietly sent to the Lian Xiang Courtyard, and left alone. No one had time to look after her until after dinner.

Now, the main event in the house was Qin Meinang, the wife of the Marquis of Wei Yuan. She looked stunning, surrounded by noblewomen, laughing and chatting happily with them. Madam Zheng felt somewhat comforted. As long as Meinang was well, so too would be Heng Ge’er (her grandson), and as his grandmother, she could rest easy.

Qin Meinang spent her time in Jin Hua Hall with ease, basking in her glory, while Ning Rulan outside was running about non-stop. She was searching for this and that, delivering messages, and taking care of tasks. There was no peace for her.

Taking advantage of a short break, Meinang went to the inner rooms, with Cui Xi following closely behind. Meinang asked about Heng Ge’er, wondering why he had not been brought over. Cui Xi explained that Wang Mama had already taken Cui Si back to visit, likely because there were too many guests, and the child, unfamiliar with large crowds, might be scared, so they hadn’t brought him. Meinang found the explanation reasonable and felt at ease. Despite having no memory of her past life in this body, she couldn’t help but feel a warm, maternal attachment, a connection to her son that she couldn’t let go of. Being a mother truly felt wonderful.

While looking out at the snowy courtyard, Meinang spotted Ning Rulan rushing over. She called out, “Third Aunt!”

Ning Rulan replied, “Sister in law, in the past, you used to call me ‘Third Sister in law.’ I would actually prefer it if you called me by my name!”

Meinang smiled and said, “Alright, I’ll call you Rulan. How is everything outside? Thank you for all your hard work. Go inside and have a cup of hot tea to warm yourself up!”

Ning Rulan’s delicate face showed a gentle smile. “What are you saying? You were ill like that, and I was worried, too. Now that you’re better, no matter how much I suffer, I don’t mind.”

Meinang, touched, took her cool hand. “Good sister, thank you!”

Ning Rulan patted her hand. “Even though I’m your sister in law, I’m a year older than you! It’s nothing. When there’s something to do, I have to do it… The situation outside is chaotic, and I came to seek your advice, Madam.”

“What advice?”

Ning Rulan sighed. “I don’t know how to explain… You’ve heard about the wet nurse’s family, right? Old Master Bai passed away, and they had initially planned to bury him today, but they found a better time later. Now, with the snow falling, the roads are blocked, and they can’t bring the meat and vegetables to us. Yesterday, they thought the funeral would be delayed and that we wouldn’t need the extra food, so they borrowed some from us. But now, we still have guests arriving as usual, and the situation has turned into a celebration. They even brought more expensive gifts. Just now, Mama Zheng from the kitchen was crying because the meat and vegetables we had prepared were almost all taken by the Bai family. What are we going to do? The male guests have already been seated, and the kitchen staff is trying to keep up with the usual banquet dishes. The men will drink and chat, but they won’t eat too much. But the female guests… I have no idea how we’ll handle it.”

Meinang looked up at the sky. It was gloomy, and snow was about to fall again. The vegetables from the village might not arrive until evening.

With guests in the hall and not enough food, no one could resolve the problem. What could the old lady or Madam do? It would only make them worried or angry, but it wouldn’t change anything.

Meinang’s gaze swept over the thick snow in the yard, extending to a grove of trees near the pond. The grove was slightly elevated, and there were two pavilions at its edge, with faint pink and red blossoms visible among the branches. Two wide corridors, lined with potted plants, formed an L-shape, enclosing the grove as a private courtyard.

“Rulan, what kind of trees are those? And what’s beyond the grove?” Meinang asked.

Ning Rulan, still feeling distressed, was surprised that Meinang had the energy to admire the garden. She forced a smile and patiently answered, “Those are purple-leafed trees. Both the leaves and branches smell fragrant, delicate, and fresh. The old lady likes to sit there in the summer. Beyond that is a rock garden, with more than ten plum trees, with red, pink, and white flowers blooming. But with everything going on, no one has had time to admire them.”

Meinang’s eyes lit up. “How much meat and vegetables do we have left?”

“After serving the male guests, there are only a few chickens, ducks, and fish left. We’ve just slaughtered two small cows, so there’s some fresh beef, a bit of beef tripe, and some vegetables…” Ning Rulan answered.

“What vegetables? Any dried goods? Like squid or sweet potatoes? And flour… I assume we have some wheat flour for making pastries?” Meinang asked, her mind racing.

Ning Rulan didn’t understand why she was asking this and looked back at the plump old woman behind her. The woman, Mrs. Cai, stepped forward and bowed, answering one by one.

“Madam, we have coriander, cabbage, leeks… As for dried goods, there’s abalone, sea cucumber, and squid… Unfortunately, we don’t have sweet potatoes, but if Madam wants them, I can get them. We also have flour and rice flour for pastries.”

Meinang nodded. “Good! Mrs. Cai, listen to me. It’s already mealtime, and there’s no time to get the necessary ingredients for a banquet. Luckily, we have over a hundred pounds of fresh beef and vegetables, which will be enough to serve the ladies in Jin Hua Hall. You can go ahead and prepare that. Do as I say, and leave the rest to

me!”