"We’ll let it pass this time, but next time, I will have to punish you so you’ll remember," Fu Shinian said. "If you get used to speaking in this manner with me, what will you do if it slips in front of others?"
"I understand my mistake," Chunmian hurriedly said.
But with this lesson, when Chunmian accompanies her to Mrs. Yan’s place later, she’ll surely be more cautious.
"Alright, grab your things and come with me to find Aunt," Fu Shinian said.
Mrs. Yan heard Yan Liqing mention the chance meeting with Marquis Changping, and how the Marquis invited them to Changping Mansion tomorrow.
If this were back home in Jinzhou, Yan Liqing would usually bypass Mrs. Yan and discuss directly with the old lady.
But now she couldn’t help but inform Mrs. Yan.
Moreover, Mrs. Yan would know when they go to the Marquis’s mansion tomorrow.
Once it’s known tomorrow that she deliberately concealed it from her today, surely there’d be trouble.
Thus, Yan Liqing had to speak up.
Mrs. Yan’s eyes suddenly sparkled with delight, "What was Marquis Changping’s reaction upon seeing you?"
Yan Liqing didn’t understand why Mrs. Yan asked this and replied, "He was quite pleased to meet my cousin and the girls."
"No, I didn’t ask about his reaction to meeting them; I meant his reaction upon seeing you and your brother," Mrs. Yan asked.
Yan Liqing couldn’t quite grasp Mrs. Yan’s meaning for a moment, frowned, and said, "What reaction could there be? He doesn’t know us; he only spoke because of my cousin and the two girls. After all, Shinian mentioned our arrival, so the Marquis remembered and politely asked us."
"Shinian mentions it, and he remembers?" Mrs. Yan rolled her eyes, "No, such trivial things are usually mentioned in passing. Why would he remember? Surely upon seeing you, he recalled it."
"Mother, what do you mean?" Yan Liqing frowned and asked.
"Tomorrow when you visit the Marquis’s mansion, behave well," Mrs. Yan said. "I’ve heard Marquis Changping has regained his health. How does he seem to you?"
At this, Yan Liqing finally guessed Mrs. Yan’s intention.
"Mother, no matter how Marquis Changping’s health is, it has nothing to do with us," Yan Liqing said.
Today, she subtly noticed that Marquis Changping seemed particularly attentive to Fu Shinian.
His gaze several times sought out Fu Shinian while speaking.
In the end, Fu Shinian refused to appear, and only then did he directly call his name.
She could distinctly feel that even while Marquis Changping conversed with Fu Changqin, his attention was solely on Fu Shinian.
Speaking with Fu Changqin seemed merely a way to get closer to Fu Shinian.
But this discovery, Yan Liqing kept to herself away from Mrs. Yan.
A daughter’s reputation is crucial; matters not clearly defined she couldn’t discuss.
Furthermore, all were just her speculations.
"Why wouldn’t it matter?" Mrs. Yan seemed unfazed by the notion, "It’s said that the Marquis’s health is quite improved; it is quite feasible to consider him. If you can arrange a match with Marquis Changping, you’ll be the Marchioness!"
Mrs. Yan grew more excited as she spoke, "Your brother wasn’t wrong, the friendship between Fu Mansion and the Marquis’s Mansion should indeed be utilized wisely."
Mrs. Yan’s eyes glowed with a frightening intensity, "Then let your aunt intervene on your behalf..."
"Mother!" Yan Liqing hurriedly interrupted Mrs. Yan, "Mother, the Marquis’s family is far too esteemed for ours. Besides, the Marquis is beyond my reach."
"A girl married into a high family, a bride from a humble one," Mrs. Yan remarked, "How is it beyond your reach? By the end of the year, your father may well enter the capital. Then at least he’ll be a fourth-ranked official..."
"Fourth-ranked officials are as numerous as cattle in the capital," Yan Liqing said. "Why not ask Aunt? When Uncle was a Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Justice, see how cautiously they lived in the capital. How could our family dare aspire to the Marquis’s status."
"Your grandfather before retirement was the Minister of Ministry of Industry, a high-ranking official of first class! Though your father is presently only fourth-ranked, upon entering Beijing, he’ll surely advance, your uncle now serving as third-ranked Chief Capital Magistrate," Mrs. Yan assessed, "Given this lineage, your family background is indeed illustrious, why not compatible?"
"Mother, whatever you consider, don’t scheme regarding Marquis Changping," Yan Liqing said.
"How can you be so lacking ambition!" Mrs. Yan remarked, "All due to your grandmother’s teachings, dulling your nature! As I’ve always said, you shouldn’t have been raised by your grandmother, yet your father refused to listen, and I couldn’t go against my mother-in-law’s wishes..."
"Mother!" Yan Liqing weakly replied, "Grandmother is wonderful."
She felt exceedingly fortunate having grown up under her grandmother’s care.
If truly nurtured by Mrs. Yan, that would’ve been her undoing.
"Wonderful? Raised you into such a passive person, always falling behind, feeling inferior?" Mrs. Yan was about to scold.
A servant reported, "Madam, Mingzhu’s maid Qiu Li has arrived."
"What does she want?" Mrs. Yan frowned, "Really lacks manners, not coming personally but sending her maid. An illegitimate daughter, still dares to look down on us, posing airs."
Yan Liqing knew Fu Mingzhu wouldn’t act this way, not wanting Mrs. Yan’s comments to go unchecked, so she cautioned, "Mother, no one in the capital now dares see cousin as an illegitimate daughter. Don’t forget, she’s a titled lady, just like Shinian, deeply favored by the Empress."
"If your words reach the Empress’s ears..."
Mrs. Yan immediately clamped her mouth shut, her face turning extremely unsightly.
Yan Liqing seized the chance, "Please invite Qiu Li in."
Soon enough, Qiu Li came in carrying two boxes.
"Aunt, cousin," Qiu Li said, "My mistress received your gifts and feels extremely grateful, thus commanded me to bring reciprocates for cousin and cousin brother."
Yan Liqing was unaware of Mrs. Yan’s doings, and said, "Why is cousin so courteous? Our gifts aren’t anything valuable, merely specialties from Jinzhou, thinking they might not be found in the capital, a simple novelty."
Qiu Li smiled, recalling Fu Mingzhu’s advice to not act rudely with the cousin, and said, "Our mistress is always meticulous, unwilling to accept gifts for nothing. Especially when Aunt has brought them from afar, the journey makes the thought even more precious."
Qiu Li opened the boxes, "Mistress says she’s rather mundane, seldom collecting trinkets."
"For cousin, here’s a ruby haloed emerald hairpin," Qiu Li said. "This isn’t of the capital style; it’s brought by my mistress’s uncle while trading in the Western Regions, never worn by her, brand new. Nowadays, jeweled accessories are trendy in the capital, though designs are somewhat inferior to those from the Western Regions."
Mrs. Yan stared, her eyes fixated.
With gems and emerald settings, naturally, Mrs. Yan understood its worth.
"This piece of high-quality ink, for cousin brother," Qiu Li said, "Our mistress knows cousin brother is talented and insightful, and surely enjoys painting. Mistress says this ink is most suited for painting."