Chapter 7: Paying Respects to the Old Madam

In the morning, Fang Yuean, still half-asleep, heard Bihe’s voice:

“Miss, it’s time to get up. The Madam wants to take you to pay respects to the Old Madam.”

Fang Yuean took a moment to gather her thoughts before realizing where she was.

Pay respects? Doesn’t that mean checking whether that old thing is still alive?

After getting dressed and having breakfast, Fang Yuean followed Bihe and Hongye to the gate of the East Yard to meet with Qin Xuan.

“Mother!” She bounced over like a happy little lamb and hugged Qin Xuan’s leg.

Qin Xuan looked a bit better than yesterday, her expression softer, “Last night, your eldest brother picked a name for you. From now on, you will be called Yuean, and I wish you a lifetime of happiness and peace.”

Fang Yuean hopped twice, “I like this name.”

In her joy, a resentful gaze shot at her.

Fang Yuean glared fiercely at the source of the look:

[You little brat, what are you staring at?!]

[Your real sister is back. If you try to fight with her for affection or bully her again, just try it!]

Qin Xuan did not look at Fang Miaoyi and simply gave an order: “Let’s go.”

The group went to the Central Courtyard.

Because the eldest daughter of the second branch was about to marry, the second madam had taken her two daughters back to her maternal family.

The young masters were all studying and had gotten up earlier to pay their respects, so they were already done with their morning rituals by this time.

At this moment, it was only the four women—Qin Xuan and her daughters—who were going to pay their respects.

Fang Yuean followed Qin Xuan into the Wanfu Hall’s main room.

As she looked up, she saw the old Madam Meng sitting in the main seat, her cheek swollen and red, still forcing a smile.

Qin Xuan was about to pay her respects when, noticing Fang Yuean had already walked up to Madam Meng’s side, the child innocently said,

“Grandmother, yesterday I swatted all the mosquitoes for you, but why do you have a big bump on your face?”

Madam Meng’s lips twitched, forcing a smile, and said somewhat unclearly,

“Perhaps the mosquito was too poisonous.”

She hadn’t expected the child to have such strength. Soon after returning from Yunxiang Courtyard, her face had swollen up. She had applied ice for a long time last night, but it still hadn’t gone down.

She had originally thought to skip today’s pay respects, but after hearing about the death of a servant in the East Courtyard, she felt she had no choice but to see Qin Xuan and check her attitude.

Fang Yuean spat a few tiny droplets into her palm, “Grandmother, let me wipe it for you. It’ll heal faster.”

She raised her hand high, waiting for Madam Meng to lower her head.

Fang Miaoyi rushed up and shoved Fang Yuean aside, “How disgusting! Grandmother doesn’t need you to wipe it!”

Fang Yuean stumbled and fell to the ground, muttering quietly, “She doesn’t want you to be better, not me.”

[Let it swell for two months. Let it hurt so much that you can’t eat or sleep, getting irritable and revealing your true nature.]

Madam Meng pretended to be angry and scolded Fang Miaoyi before Qin Xuan could, “Miaoyi, she is a guest in our family. How can you treat her like this?”

“To push people around like that is wrong.”

Madam Meng gave Nanny Zhang a glance, who was about to step forward to help Fang Yuean.

Qin Xuan, however, was a step faster, helping Fang Yuean up and carefully checking her hand. Only when she confirmed there were no injuries did she relax.

Madam Meng noticed Qin Xuan’s reaction.

Fang Miaoyi, however, pouted and turned to bury her face in Madam Meng’s chest, crying loudly.

Madam Meng looked back at the crying child, “Oh, did grandmother speak too harshly? As long as you know you’re wrong, don’t do it again in the future.”

Fang Miaoyi continued to cry.

Madam Meng glanced at Fang Yuean and then asked, “Did someone wrong you? Don’t be afraid. Tell me, I will stand up for you.”

Fang Miaoyi’s crying grew louder.

Madam Meng’s heart ached, “You can’t cry like this, you just recovered from a cold. If you keep crying, you’ll ruin your throat.”

[I wonder, how is it that this child, raised by the same mother, is so spoiled and heartless? It’s all because you’ve indulged her.]

Qin Xuan was somewhat displeased, “Miaoyi, this is the second time you’ve pushed your sister. If I don’t punish you, don’t you think you’re in the wrong?”

“From now on, you’re grounded in your room for five days.”

Madam Meng quickly intervened, “Oh, Xuan’er, that’s too harsh.”

Fang Miaoyi sniffed as she got up, wiping her tears, “Grandmother, I don’t like her. I don’t want her to stay with mother.”

“Okay, okay, don’t cry anymore,” Madam Meng coaxed. “Look at you two, can’t you talk things through?”

Qin Xuan’s face darkened as she stared at Fang Miaoyi, “Even if she can cure Er’er, you still don’t want her to stay?”

Fang Miaoyi lowered her head, sobbing, without answering.

Madam Meng quickly intervened, “You want to keep her here?”

Qin Xuan glanced at the servants by the door, “Take the two young ladies out to play.”

Several servants quickly stepped forward, guiding the girls out of the room.

Qin Xuan sat in the seat next to Madam Meng, smiling as she spoke:

“Mother, that old immortal’s prescription really works. An’an only came for a day, and last night, Er’er actually called me mother, and her eyes have changed a bit. I’m sure it won’t be long before Er’er fully recovers.”

“An’an is our family’s lucky star. That’s why I’ve decided to adopt her, and Xunli has already picked a name for her—Yuean.”

When Madam Meng heard this, her heart sank.

She was so close to getting Qin Xuan’s exclusive favor for Miaoyi.

Madam Meng felt a knot in her chest but pretended to be pleasantly surprised, “Er’er has signs of recovery?”

She clasped her hands together, relieved, “Ah, thank the heavens.”

But then her tone turned uncertain, “But I see Miaoyi really dislikes having Yuean stay. Please don’t let this cause any rift between you and your daughters.”

Qin Xuan lowered her eyes and smiled, her gaze cold as ice.

“Mother, it’s not this child who’s causing a rift. There are some malicious servants behind the scenes, stirring things up and making Miaoyi worry that I might be taken away.”

“This child is mine, she’s my biological daughter, I’m her mother. Who can take me away from her?” Qin Xuan covered her lips and smiled.

Madam Meng smiled stiffly and gripped the armrest of her chair.

“However, those evil servants have already been dealt with. Once I talk to Miaoyi, she’ll understand,” Qin Xuan continued.

Hearing her mention what happened last night, Madam Meng clutched her handkerchief to her chest.

“Last night, I heard some commotion. Xuan’er, isn’t it too harsh to have killed the servants? They’ll be trembling with fear from now on. If word gets out that we treat our servants so cruelly, what will happen?”

The main issue was how she would place spies in the East Courtyard.

Qin Xuan’s actions this time were really too ruthless.

Qin Xuan smiled, “Servants who follow the rules have nothing to fear. But those who are dishonest need to be punished. Servants who sow discord between masters—any other madam would not go easy on them.”

“Mother, you should be enjoying your later years. Don’t worry about these small matters.”

Qin Xuan glanced at her face, worried, “Your face, should we call for the doctor to take a look? How could a five-year-old girl have such strength? It might be due to that poisonous mosquito.”

Mentioning this, Madam Meng ground her teeth in anger.

As an elder, being hit by a younger person—especially one who was unreasonable—was already humiliating. And now the child was claiming she had been swatting mosquitoes for her.

How could she not have noticed any mosquitoes?

Now, seeing the situation, it seemed that Qin Xuan didn’t even want to acknowledge it.

If she pursued the matter, it would only make her appear petty as an elder. No one would believe that a five-year-old child could strike her like this, and they would likely claim it was due to some nonexistent mosquito, turning her into a laughingstock.

Madam Meng could only swallow this grievance for now and muttered softly, “It’s nothing, it will heal in a couple of days.”

Just as Qin Xuan was about to take her leave, they heard voices coming from outside.

Soon, someone came in to report, “Old Madam, the second Madam has returned with the young ladies.”