Hemei was startled, "Living in the academy?"
"Yes, living in the academy. I’ll take you and Henuan with me, along with Yaniang. I like the food Yaniang cooks!"
It wasn’t greasy, light, but also refreshing.
"This servant will follow Miss’s instructions!"
Yun Jinnian, feeling joyful for once, took Hemei back to the Yun Residence.
She had just learned that Yun Zihan and Xu Xinmo had passed the assessment, but Yun Musi and Yun Mulan had not. Yun Jinnian didn’t mind at all and sat on the kang with Mrs. Han in the Qiyue Academy, making clothes.
Helping Mrs. Han sort the threads.
While talking about living in the academy in the future, Mrs. Han felt reluctant to let Yun Jinnian go, but she also knew that it was better for Yun Jinnian to live in the academy than at home. Besides, Songzhu was her teacher’s senior brother, so it would be convenient for her to visit Yun Jinnian.
"Let’s go to the Huguo Temple to offer incense and pray for blessings on the third day of the month," Mrs. Han said slowly and gently.
Yun Jinnian nodded her head, "Alright!"
Yun Qi hadn’t returned for many days, and Mrs. Han didn’t send anyone to look for him, not even the Lady, Lady He, asked, let alone her.
Yun Chen had recently encountered some trouble, and was busy all day long, he didn’t even know that Yun Qi hadn’t returned for many days...
On the second day of the second month, known as the Dragon Heads-raising Day, both adults and children were to get a haircut. Mrs. Han took scissors and casually trimmed the ends of Yun Jinnian’s hair, and that was considered done.
In Mrs. Han’s small kitchen, they made back-strengthening cakes, and Mrs. Han had Bai Que personally deliver them to the masters in the residence.
She also sent some back to the Han Residence.
She had Bai Que take Hemei and Henuan to deliver some to Dai Hanmi, Ruan Wanrong, Hu Shuiling, and Chen Danyan.
Before they could deliver them, Dai Hanmi and the others had already sent theirs over.
For lunch, there was pounded cake, wrapped around shredded pork knuckle, stir-fried bean sprouts, scrambled eggs, vermicelli, served with green onions and sauce, and a bowl of fragrant mustard greens rice.
For dinner, the Lady sent over a plate of back-strengthening cakes, and Mrs. Han had Bai Que take them down to share with the maids and older women.
Feeling too full, the mother and daughter went for a walk in the courtyard to aid digestion.
"Father has been away from home for quite some days now, shouldn’t we send someone to look for him?"
Mrs. Han heard this, glanced at Yun Jinnian, and said, "Mother will give the order."
Because they were set to depart for the Huguo Temple early the next morning, Yun Jinnian went back to sleep early in Niannian Garden.
Worried that she might not return by Xu Xinmo’s birthday on the fifth day of the second month, Yun Jinnian had prepared a gift in advance, "If I don’t come back, have the nanny deliver it to her!"
The gift wasn’t very expensive; it was just for appearances. Yun Jinnian couldn’t allow people to gossip, saying there was discord among her siblings!
"Yes!" Mrs. Yuan felt somewhat distressed about the gift Yun Jinnian prepared for Xu Xinmo.
Now Yun Jinnian had silver, but that silver also needed to be spent wisely, and on the right person!
"From now on, this garden is relying on you and Nanny An!"
With Yun Jinnian’s trust, Mrs. Yuan smiled, "Miss, don’t worry. I understand everything. I will definitely help Miss guard Niannian Garden well!"
After packing up, on the third day of the second month, Mrs. Han took Yun Jinnian to the Huguo Temple. They had one carriage, with Bai Que, Hemei, Henuan, and a carriage driver.
The Huguo Temple was a bit far from the Capital City, so the group stopped at a roadside teahouse on the way.
"Madam, Miss, shall we eat something before we continue?" Bai Que suggested.
Mrs. Han nodded and got off the carriage with Yun Jinnian.
Yun Jinnian took a deep breath.
In February, it was still very cold, but Yun Jinnian felt more relaxed and comfortable than at the Yun Family in the Capital City.
"Are you cold?" Mrs. Han held Yun Jinnian’s hand.
Mrs. Han’s hand was very warm. Yun Jinnian shook her head, "Not cold!"
"Let’s go in and have some warm food before we continue on the road!"