As it turned out, Li XiuRong, the eldest Young Madam had accompanied the Madam to visit the Old Madam. Gu Sui’er handed them their gifts and finally said: “I will let Jing Yue send over the gifts of the second Young Madam and the eldest Young Miss.”
Everyone looked at her delicate and tender face. They remembered how she did not know anything when she had just entered the Mansion. Although she still looked ignorant and naive, she remembered to show her filial respect to her elders. They couldn’t help feeling a deeply touched.
It was especially true for the Old Madam. She pulled Gu Sui’er up and rubbed her hand affectionately: “They are all bestowed upon you by His Imperial Majesty as a reward for your pregnancy. They are good supplements for your body. You can eat and use these gifts yourself, so why are you gifting them to us?”
In fact, the Old Madam was naturally not lacking these things. However, when she took a look at the presents, she still felt happy.
When Gu Sui’er heard her say this, she whispered: “Old Madam, in our countryside, if someone had any delicious food, they will also send some of it to their neighbors. Although I don’t understand the rules of our family, everyone treats me so nicely. Now that the third Master brought these things, it is not good of me to enjoy them without thinking of everyone.”
When she said this, the others in the room couldn’t help but laugh.
The Old Madam also chuckled: “Leaving everything aside, just these eggs from the Silkie Chickens that are raised locally in TaiHe county are precious. Those chickens are fed with herbs, and only a small portion of them are sent as tribute to the Imperial Palace. This year, the Emperor sent some of it to me which I ate a little at a time. The second girl came over yesterday, saying she was tired of studying and wanted to eat some egg custard. I understood that she wanted to eat those black-feathered Silkie Chicken eggs but I had to refuse her as even I didn’t have any of it left!”
The Madam, who was standing beside the Old Madam, actually had a somewhat warm expression on her face instead of her usual solemn and indifferent appearance: “Ah Heng, that child, I brought him up and looked after him for more than ten years. However, he never spoke so intimately with me. You are much better than him.”
Li XiuRong, who was standing beside her, also smiled and said, “Give me YuQing’s share. I’ll pass it over to her when I go back.”
Her yard was next to the second Young Madam, Bai YuQing’s. The two usually had a good relationship, so passing over Bai YuQing’s gift would save some trouble for Gu Sui’er.
Gu Sui’er was naturally grateful.
Coming out from the Old Madam’s place, Gu Sui’er was accompanied by Nanny An to return to TingZhu Courtyard. When she recalled what happened earlier, she felt at ease from the bottom of her heart.
She was originally a poor villager. When she first arrived at this mansion, she didn’t know anything nor could she do anything. She had to depend on others for every little thing she needed back then.
She knew that the Old Madam treated her awfully good, one could even say that the Old Madam favored her immensely. As for the Madam, although she did not like to laugh and had a solemn temperament, she had never wronged Gu Sui’er regarding her eating and drinking ever since she stepped into the residence.
If one felt grateful, they would usually say thank you. However, saying ‘thank you’ in this case felt nothing except mere glib talk ah. It felt as light as a feather.
Even if it was a poor person who was inferior to their benefactor, they would earnestly wish to repay their favor.
It was just that she was backward both economically and culturally, so she did not have a chance to repay her favor until today.
Although what she gifted the Old Madam was not rare and she could get it easily, it still had her sincerity and kind intentions in the end.
After she returned to her room, she would make the fabric into clothes, shoes for pillows. Presumably, everyone would like them.
Gu Sui’er was immersed in her happy thoughts while walking back but when she walked to the winding corridor of the neighbouring Courtyard, a person emerged in front of her abruptly.
Gu Sui’er knew that this person was the daughter of the Marquis’ Concubine, named Xiao Xu.
The Old Madam had two children – one son and one daughter. Her son was the current Marquis RuiDing and her daughter was married to General BoYe. The Madam, Marquis RuiDing’s main wife, gave birth to three sons and one daughter for him. The first two were already married to Li XiuRong and Bai YuQing respectively and Xiao Heng, who ranked third, was still unmarried. Nevertheless, he had already taken a Concubine recently. The Madam also had a daughter named Xiao Jin, who was studying in a girls’ school. She would come to see the Old Madam every morning and evening, but Gu Sui’er had not yet seen her as their timings did not match.
Beside the Madam, Nanny An had already told Gu Sui’er that the Marquis RuiDing also had a Concubine, who had given birth to a daughter. She was named Xiao Xu.
After Gu Sui’er came to this Mansion, she had only met Xiao Xu once. Xiao Xu had not talked to her at that time, so Gu Sui’er just felt that she was not very kind.
Now that she met her in the corridor, Gu Sui’er quickly stooped and greeted her respectfully: “Second Miss.”
She understood that no matter how bad the people in the Marquis’ Mansion were, they were always better than herself.
Xiao Xu’s expression was bad at first, but now she that she saw Gu Sui’er, she raised her eyebrows lightly and mockingly said: “As it turns out, Concubine Gu actually knows who I am.”
Concubine—
Ever since Gu Sui’er came here, she had been called either ‘Young Mistress’ or by her given name. This was the first time she had heard anyone call her ‘Concubine’.
For some reason, from Xiao Xu’s tone, she felt that calling her ‘Concubine’ might not be as good as calling her ‘Young Mistress’.
But she still lowered her head slightly and said with a smile, “Yes, second Miss.”
Xiao Xu didn’t say anything. Staring at Gu Sui’er for a long time, and suddenly asked the maid beside her: “You. Who is that steamed egg custard for? “
The maid took a look at Gu Sui’er, and muttered in a low voice: “The kitchen said that this steamed egg custard was for Concubine Gu.”
Xiao Xu got the maid’s answer, she stamped her feet on the ground angrily and said: “When I asked the Old Madam before, she obviously said that she didn’t have any of those eggs left. Clearly, I’m the one who is studying all day to go to the girls’ school. While studying, I just had the urge to eat some steamed egg custard. Why did she not let me eat it? Does our Marquis’ residence lack food? Why? The child in her belly is not the same as the child born of the main wife. More precisely, a countrywoman will give birth to it. Is it more noble than anyone else ah?”
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