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Second Master Jiang glanced at the pair of children, especially the beautiful little Jiu, and though his face remained composed, his gaze softened slightly.
Jiang Zhanyu was delighted, whispering to Jiu, “Little sister, this outfit looks lovely. I’ll buy you some beautiful jewelry next time.”
Jiu, quite at ease with Zhanyu, smiled and whispered back, “Thank you, Fifth Brother.” She then flaunted the large bow, saying, “This outfit was designed by Sister-in-law Lu Man, and I love it.”
Subsequently, she sneakily glanced at Second Master Jiang several times, noticing his lack of attention towards her. Disappointed, she lowered her head, fiddling with her fingers, the joy in her eyes fading.
Lu Man finally realized that Jiu had dressed up not just for the visit but specifically to impress Jiang Yuanzhao.
Despite Second Master Jiang showing a hint of warmth towards Jiu, children couldn’t easily discern such subtleties. Lu Man found his behavior towards his own daughter utterly contemptible.
After a brief chat with the old marquis, Lu Man noticed the arrival of Third Master Jiang, Third Madam, Huang, Young Madam Han, and Jiang Deyu. As the eldest daughter, Jiang He, and Jiang Dewen were too young to join the visit, and with the eldest and second Madam occupied, they didn’t go along.
In a procession of carriages—one for the Princess, one for Third Master and Madam, and another for the Young Madam Han and Deyu. Lu Man accompanied the young siblings in a carriage, laden with gifts and accompanied by several attendants and performers, all under heavy guard, headed towards the Xie residence.
Their arrival at Duke Xie residence was met with a warm welcome akin to stars surrounding the moon, thanks to the esteemed presence of the Princess and Lu Man’s previous assistance to Lady Xie and her child. Especially the Princess, as a woman, was to enter through the main gate. Old Duke Xie, along with the second and fifth sons present at the residence, personally greeted them at the entrance.
Not seeing Duke Xie, the Princess expressed disappointment, saying, “Duke Xie has a new chubby grandson and hasn’t come to see us. Oh well, national affairs are important, but he must take care of his health too.”
Old Duke Xie spoke loudly, expressing gratitude to the Princess for her concern. He emphasized the weight of his responsibilities during these tense times, highlighting the need to devote himself entirely to the country to live up to the Emperor’s trust and save the people from dire situations. He then respectfully gestured northwards.
After the old Duke’s eloquent speech, the Princess found it difficult to interject and instead praised Duke Xie for his dedication to the country.
Turning to Lu Man, the grandfather’s eyes narrowed with a smile as he said, “Granddaughter-in-law, ah, good to see you again. As I’ve said before, if you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to ask. Send someone to find me, this old man owes you a big favor.”
The old Duke was quite astute, in the presence of Princess Changting, he tactfully avoided speaking negatively about the Jiang family.
Lu Man expressed her gratitude, saying, “Thank you for your kindness, Grandfather. If there’s ever a need, I will certainly seek your assistance.”
The Princess jokingly scolded, “If you have any issues, just tell me. No need to bother old Xie. Seeking help from him is going too far!”
Lu Man playfully leaned on the Princess’s arm, saying, “Grandmother, having more acquaintances means more paths to choose from.”
The Princess enjoyed Lu Man’s playful demeanor, especially in front of others.
Old Duke Xie chuckled and remarked, “This little girl is smarter than your husband, knowing when to advance and when to retreat. That boy, like old Jiang, is stubborn and enjoys making things difficult for himself.”
Upon hearing old Duke Xie’s criticism of the old Marquis Jiang, the Princess grew displeased. She jokingly scolded him, “After all these years, you still can’t control your tongue. Can your temper compete with the stubbornness of my husband?”
The Princess was sharp and didn’t let old Duke Xie off the hook easily, playfully bantering back at him.
The old Duke, savvy as ever, avoided a direct confrontation with the Princess and joked, assuring her that he was just teasing and praising Lu Man for her intelligence and manners.
After bidding farewell to the men, they proceeded to the main courtyard, where Madam Xie and several female relatives awaited them at the flower gate.
Madam Xie expressed gratitude to the Princess, lavishing praise on Lu Man, saying, “My eldest son wanted to thank you in person, but his military duties demanded his return to camp. He assured me he’ll find time to express his gratitude to you and the marquis family. Thank you for being a wonderful sister-in-law, especially for saving his wife and child during such difficult times.”
The Princess laughed heartily, remarking, “National affairs are crucial. Xie Yu is being modest.” She added, “Zhanwei’s wife is a good child. Not just in my eyes, but her grandfather adores her as well.”
Lu Man expressed her wish to visit the lady and the child, and Madam Xie arranged for her and Jiu to go. Since Zhankui was a boy and couldn’t enter the Lady Xie’s room, he stayed in the main courtyard with the Princess and others.
Entering Lady Xie’s bedroom, Lu Man found several noblewomen and three young girls seated there.
As Lu Man entered, Lady Xie, who had been reclining, sat up eagerly, extending her hand with a smile, “Sister Lu, I’ve been looking forward to seeing you.”
Being called “Sister” rather than “Young Lady” by Lady Xie felt warm and endearing to Lu Man, bridging the gap between them.
Approaching Lady Xie, Lu Man took her hand and replied, “Sister Yang, you look much better today.”
Since she was addressed as “Sister”, Lu Man reciprocated with a familiar tone, knowing that Lady Xie’s maiden name was Yang.
Lady Xie, in her mid-twenties, had a fair face covered with a headscarf. Although a bit pale and tired-looking, she was a stark contrast to the woman on her deathbed during childbirth.
One of the middle-aged noblewomen sitting by the bed stood up with a smile, gesturing for Lu Man to sit down and taking a seat beside her.
After exchanging pleasantries, Lady Xie introduced the people in the room. The woman who stood up was Lady Yang, Lady Xie’s mother, and the other women were her maternal cousins, Second Young Lady Yang and Third Young Lady Yang.
The thirteen or fourteen-year-old girl was Xie Yu’s sister, Xie Shu, whom Lu Man had met before—the same girl who teased old Duke Xie by calling children little pigs.
The two younger girls were Lady Xie’s daughters: Ping, nine years old, and Yan, seven years old.
Lu Man greeted the young girls warmly, introducing Jiu to them. Lady Yang was quite eloquent, praising Jiu and offering her a gift in greeting.
Afterward, Ping and Yan came over, addressing Jiu as “Little Auntie” eager to show her their “beautiful peacocks” outside.
Shy but curious, Jiu looked to Lu Man for guidance.