"Miss Fourth, we’ve arrived at Second Madam’s manor!"
Mrs. Han was not cast aside, she remained the legitimate wife of the Yun Family’s second branch.
Mrs. Yuan thought that Yun Jinnian would visit Mrs. Han at the manor, but unexpectedly, after getting off the carriage, Yun Jinnian just looked at the simple manor from afar, her expression serene, not at all like an eleven-year-old child.
After a while, Yun Jinnian finally spoke indifferently, "Let’s go to Yingci’an!"
"Miss, won’t you go in to see the lady?" Mrs. Yuan tentatively asked.
"No need to go, visiting won’t change anything anyway, it will only cause my mother to worry about me!" Yun Jinnian answered and led the way onto the carriage.
If she went, seeing her daughter not doing well would definitely sadden her mother.
Over the years, her mother had always lived in the manor and never wrote back to the Yun Family, or asked her father to visit her, or to bring her back or anything of the sort.
It was clear that her mother had no wish to return to the Yun Family.
A distant glance, knowing she was well, was enough.
Mrs. Han, dressed in white, suddenly burst into tears, startling her maid Bai Que, "Madam, what’s wrong?"
Mrs. Han touched her face and shook her head slightly, "Suddenly, my heart felt so heavy, I couldn’t help but shed tears!"
"Is Madam missing Miss?" Bai Que ventured.
Mrs. Han lowered her gaze and sighed, "Without realizing it, seven years have passed, Jinnian must be eleven by now!"
"Next month is the Miss’s birthday, will Madam send the birthday gift as in previous years?"
"Send over the set of twelve zodiac Blood Jade ornaments I carved!" Mrs. Han said, then added somewhat sadly, "I don’t know if Jinnian will like them, if I had known, I should have brought her to the manor!"
"Miss will understand Madam’s good intentions, Madam, is the silver note still five thousand taels?"
"Yes, five thousand taels. I have so much silver that I can’t use it all, and she needs to tip the servants at the Yun Family alone!"
Bai Que went to prepare.
The silver note, fabrics, jewelry, jade playthings, and the set of twelve zodiac red jade ornaments were placed into a box, to be sent to the Yun Family on the fifteenth of the second month for Yun Jinnian.
Bai Que then opened an account book to record the items and marked where the red jade ornaments were secretly labeled, to prevent theft and facilitate recovery if needed.
Yingci’an was in a mountain outside the Capital City, with the temple at the foot of the mountain. The scenery on the mountain was beautiful, the valley was like spring year-round. By the time they reached Yingci’an, it was almost dark, fortunately, they had eaten noodles at a teahouse on the road.
The carriage stopped, and someone immediately approached to inquire, "Excuse me, is Miss Fourth of the Yun Family inside the carriage?"
A soft and gentle woman’s voice, which sounded so compassionate.
Mrs. Yuan promptly got off the carriage, "Replying to the abbess, inside is indeed our young miss!"
Mrs. Yuan helped Yun Jinnian down from the carriage.
Looking at the mild-mannered nun of about forty or fifty years old in front of her, wearing a hat due to the early spring and dressed in a washed-out cotton-padded coat with a benevolent smile, flanked by two young female nuns.
Yun Jinnian quickly bowed respectfully, "I pay my respects to the abbess, may I inquire how to address you..."
"Just call this humble nun Hui Ling," replied the abbess.
"My name is Yun Jinnian of the Yun Family, I pay my respects to Abbess Hui Ling, I am at your service!"
Abbess Hui Ling’s smile grew even more affectionate, as she took Yun Jinnian’s hand and slowly walked towards the temple, "Miss Fourth need not be so formal. The quarters for your short stay have been tidied up. Miss Fourth has had a long journey. You need not join the early chant tomorrow, but the day after, Miss Fourth will start participating in the early chant!"
The hand of Abbess Hui Ling was dry and warm. Yun Jinnian felt a sense of being cherished and her mind wandered slightly. She did not quite catch what Abbess Hui Ling had said, but obediently affirmed, "Yes, Jinnian will remember!"