Nalan Mingzhu saw Mrs. Xu and Nalan Jinlian coming in, and quickly stood up to greet them with a curtsey.
Her pretty face was somewhat pale.
Nalan Old Madam gave her a reassuring nod.
Even though it was a subtle change, Nalan Jinlian noticed it.
She wasn’t exactly jealous, just felt something was off.
"Grandmother!" Nalan Jinlian called out, curtseyed, and walked over to sit beside Nalan Old Madam.
Nalan Old Madam smiled, "Is your body feeling better?"
"Much better, thank you for your concern, Grandmother!"
"That’s good, that’s good!" Nalan Old Madam said, taking a brocade box from the hands of the maid, Juzi, and handing it to Nalan Jinlian, "Even though you didn’t go, the Empress still sent a gift for you with me, and exempted you from paying respects!"
Nalan Jinlian reached out to take it, opened the brocade box and looked inside; it was a gold hairpin, very beautiful and seemingly precious.
Yet, Nalan Jinlian did not seem very pleased.
"Sixth sister, don’t you like it?" Nalan Huanhuan asked.
Everyone received the same gold hairpin, without any favoritism.
"I do like it!" Nalan Jinlian said, handing it to Juan Ye.
She chatted with Nalan Old Madam for a while, and seeing that she was tired, bade farewell and left.
"Is sixth sister going to our third aunt’s place?" Nalan Huanhuan asked.
Today at the palace, the Empress seemed quite fond of the fifth sister, which made Nalan Huanhuan uneasy.
"Yes, going to my mother’s place, and staying there for the night!"
Nalan Huanhuan nodded.
Along the way, everyone parted to go their separate ways.
Nalan Mingzhu felt happy and went to Aunt Liao’s courtyard.
Aunt Liao, whose belly was already very big, felt joyful seeing Nalan Mingzhu, "Mingzhu!"
"Aunt, are you well?"
The mother and daughter met and asked each other how they were.
They exchanged a look and smiled.
Today, after going to and from the palace, Grandmother was much better to her, which made Nalan Mingzhu happy; thus, seeing Aunt Liao, her grievances lessened.
Moreover, the Imperial Capital was truly prosperous, and the Imperial Palace even more luxurious, incomparable to the border town.
"Seeing you this happy puts my mind at ease!"
Nalan Mingzhu laughed, "Aunt, you must take care, and give Father another brother!"
"Yes, rest assured, I am cautious in everything, I don’t go out, your father visits occasionally, the maids and old servants serve diligently; you must take care of yourself, don’t provoke Nalan Jinlian, and certainly don’t provoke your legitimate mother. Mingcong is in the outer courtyard, under your father’s care, so I am at ease!"
The only worry was still for Nalan Mingzhu.
Back then, she had caused the death of Mrs. Xu’s daughter, and Nalan Bo did not know; moreover, this had driven a wedge between the two, making them irreconcilable. So now this eldest lady is an impostor, and Nalan Bo also thought she did not know.
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"Aunt, don’t worry, I will protect myself well, and refrain from appearing before my legitimate mother; it’s better to curry favor with Grandmother instead!"
After all, this backyard was still Old Madam’s domain.
Pleasing others wasn’t as beneficial as pleasing Old Madam.
The night was getting late.
Nalan Jinlian lay next to Mrs. Xu.
But couldn’t fall asleep.
Mrs. Xu was also awake; she knew Nalan Jinlian had something to say to her, but just didn’t know how to start.
She reached out to hold Nalan Jinlian’s hand.
In her palm, she gently wrote two words, "Something wrong?"
Nalan Jinlian was slightly taken aback, and after thinking for a while, wrote in Mrs. Xu’s palm, "Am I your daughter?"