Nalan Zile’s attempt to sow discord was something Nalan Mingzhu naturally understood.
However, she would never be incited to contend with Nalan Jinlian.
Nalan Mingzhu remained silent.
Nalan Zile was about to say something, but Mrs. Xu glanced back at her. Though the look was subtle, it frightened Nalan Zile.
Mrs. Xu gave a faint smile, turning to continue speaking with Mrs. Xuan and Mrs. Mu.
Mrs. Kang also glanced back at her daughter, sighing inwardly.
This foolish girl, stirring up trouble in such a public setting, if the old Marquis finds out, she will definitely be punished.
The group arrived at the warm hall; Nalan Jinlian sat beside the old Marquis, where the maids had already prepared snacks and hot soup.
Nalan Mingzhu glanced over, indeed not seeing Liao Auntie.
She took a deep breath and sat beside Nalan Zile.
"You eat!" A plate of pastries was placed in front of her.
Nalan Mingzhu looked up to see a woman in a blue embroidered jacket, with bright eyes and white teeth, looking at her with a gentle smile.
"Have a taste, it’s quite good!" Nalan Mingyi said gently.
Jinlian was well cared for sitting beside her grandmother, while Mingzhu sat there in solitude.
Even though she was a concubine-born daughter, she was still a child of the Nalan family, a sister, deserving of some care.
"I’m soon coming of age, a bit older than you, you may call me Sister Yi!"
"Thank you, Sister Yi!" Nalan Mingzhu sincerely expressed her gratitude.
In this vast Marquis Residence, when everyone surrounded Nalan Jinlian, it was nice to have someone care for her.
"Do eat quickly, I quite like these pastries!" Nalan Mingyi said, also taking a piece to eat slowly.
Nalan Mingzhu responded, feeling much better inside.
The old Marquis personally fed Nalan Jinlian the pastries before laughingly asking, "Do they taste good?"
"Responding to Grandmother, the taste is excellent!"
"If you like them, have the cook make more in the future. It’s deep winter now, and there’s not much good food to eat; make more pastries to relieve cravings. Next year when the weather is better, and fruits are plentiful, Grandmother will take you to the estate to live for a while, eating fresh picked ones which are both fresh and delicious!"
After chatting for a bit and having some snacks, the old Marquis finally said, "You must be tired from the journey, go freshen up and rest a while. Tonight we’ll host a banquet to properly welcome you. If there’s anything you want to eat, tell the maids; if the kitchen doesn’t have it, we can substitute with something else!" Official source is N0v3l.Fiɾe.net
"Thank you, Grandmother!"
Nalan Huanhuan held Nalan Jinlian’s hand, "Lian sister, I’ll take you to Qinglian Garden!"
Mrs. Xu was about to return to Haoyue Pavilion and spoke with Nalan Jinlian for a bit.
She trusted that the maids and matrons around Nalan Jinlian could serve her well but still reminded them, "Serve the young lady well; as we’ve returned from the border town, it might take time to adjust, be careful not to catch a chill, and pay extra attention to the food!"
"Yes, I understand!" Chunqiu promptly responded.
"Alright, off you go, be careful on the road, don’t trip or stumble!" Mrs. Xu said, arranging Nalan Jinlian’s cloak and placing her hat on.
"Farewell, Mother!" Nalan Jinlian bowed.
Mother was indeed kind to her.
Meticulously attentive.
Mrs. Xu led the maid Lian Qiao away first.
Nalan Jinlian, Nalan Huanhuan, Nalan Mingzhu, Nalan Mingyi, Nalan Zile, and several other sisters headed towards Nalan Jinlian’s Qinglian Garden.
The Marquis Residence had always emphasized the distinction between legitimate and concubine-born children.
The legitimate daughters’ courtyards were at the front, named with a part of their names followed by ’Garden’. The concubine-born daughters’ were a bit further back, not as large or ornate as those of the legitimate daughters.