Watching Lian Gui leave, Duke An remained in melancholy contemplation for a long time; the children from the legitimate wife were indeed different from those born to concubines. If Xinyan were a boy with such courage and intelligence, what would Duke An’s Mansion have to fear in the future? Just him alone could support the family’s dignity and business for decades. Alas, his own son was disappointing. What could he do?
The Duchess had also been waiting for a while and, unable to hear the Duke speak, couldn’t help but complain, "The letter Xinyan sent to Madam Yin also had instructions on how to make cheese. How could you just casually give it to her? And those two recipe books, if the desserts are as rare and delicious as those Prince Yu presented to His Majesty, opening a Pastry House in the capital could be a significant source of income. Even if you gave them to Madam Yin, there should be some logic to it."
Duke An glanced at his wife and said, "The recipe books are the child’s sentiment towards Madam Yin; with our Duke’s Mansion’s foundation of so many years, are we going to seize a child’s belongings? Madam Yin was originally someone you approved of as a daughter-in-law, decent in character and disposition. If she were cruel and ruthless, solely with the influence of her family’s noble status, she would not have been manipulated to such a degree by a concubine.
Let her be. Just ensure that Maternal Aunt Liu does not incite Hongyang to trouble Madam Yin again. As for the cheese, didn’t we have Lian Gui tell Madam Yin not to use it? I will have someone watch over it, you needn’t worry."
The Duchess fell silent, sighing inwardly. She did not approve of the prestigious Duke An’s Mansion being flaunted by a concubine, but who asked her to have only one son? She couldn’t bear to see her son troubled.
Since Lian Gui returned to the mansion in the afternoon, Madam Yin had not found peace for a moment, continuously sending out maids and old woman servants to gather news, to see if Lian Gui had come out from the Duke’s quarters. Her heart tortured for many days, far from being comforted, became even more anxious.
She didn’t know where Lian Gui had gone until a few days ago when the mansion received a letter he sent back. Only then did she learn that in Yuyuan Prefecture there was a girl who remarkably resembled Duke An’s Mansion’s Young Lady. The Duke had sent people to verify it, and if indeed such a girl existed and her character was also decent, she was to be cherished like his own granddaughter.
This news was surely spread by Duke An’s desire for people to know, both inside and outside the mansion. When Madam Yin heard this, her heart nearly leapt out, understanding the enormous risks hidden in this message, being born into a prestigious family herself.
Since Duke’s Mansion hadn’t mentioned Lian Gui traveling before, it was likely they hadn’t decided how to deal with her Ah Yan. If Ah Yan did not meet their expectations, could it be that Ah Yan...
Madam Yin dared not imagine such a situation, and fortunately, by the time she heard the news, Duke’s Mansion seemed to have acknowledged Ah Yan’s existence. After breaking out in a cold sweat, filled with hope, she went to see the Duchess, her mother-in-law, to inquire about Ah Yan.
Her heart was extremely anxious; Ah Yan had been raised in the Duke’s Mansion, pampered from childhood. Now, to think she appeared in distant Yuyuan Prefecture, a place of extreme remoteness—how much suffering and hardship Ah Yan must have endured to have hidden her identity and ended up so far away.
With these thoughts, Madam Yin’s heart twisted like a knife. She had to find out how her daughter was doing now; she thought of visiting her daughter.
As one might expect, the wife of the heir apparent was scolded by the Duchess and sent back rebuked.
Madam Yin shed tears all day, and eventually realized. Yes, all the noble and prestigious official families in the capital knew that her daughter had passed away; the current Ah Yan could only be Lady Qi. No matter how urgent her desire or how profound her yearning, that could not be her daughter. Otherwise, it would be sending her daughter to her death.
It took Madam Yin a long time to calm down under Nanny Huang’s persuasion, anxiously waiting for Lian Gui’s return.
Lian Gui finally came back but remained at the Duke’s quarters. The maids and old woman servants of her courtyard went one after another to the Duchess’s courtyard for news, then one after another returned to relay messages to her.
Steward Lian was still replying to the Duke...
Steward Lian still hasn’t come out...
It was only after Nanny Huang reported that Steward Lian was waiting outside to see the wife of the heir apparent, that Madam Yin stopped pacing back and forth, and subconsciously rushed outside for a few steps.
Nanny Huang stepped forward to support her and said, "My Lady, please sit down first. Once you are seated, this servant can go and invite Steward Lian in, right?"
"Yes, yes, nanny, you’re right," Madam Yin answered repeatedly while craning her neck to look outside, and then she walked over to sit down at the upper end of the intricately carved wooden daybed.
After checking the wife of the heir apparent’s appearance again, Nanny Huang reminded her, "Your clothing and hair are in good order, but you must calm yourself. You can’t let Steward Lian see you anxious and unsettled. Remember, all this is for the sake of the Young Lady."
Yes, for the sake of her Ah Yan, Madam Yin needed to keep her composure. She took a deep breath and really heeded Nanny Huang’s advice, settling her breath and calming down.
"Please invite Steward Lian in."
When Lian Gui entered, he saw the wife of the heir apparent sitting dignified and composed on the couch, one arm leisurely resting on the finely carved purplish-red lacquered armrest, her feet firmly planted on the footboard, watching him as he walked in.
Lian Gui stepped forward and saluted, "This servant pays his respects to the wife of the heir apparent."
Madam Yin said, "There’s no need for formalities. Steward Lian has traveled a great distance to return, your efforts are appreciated. Cui Zhu, offer Steward Lian a seat and some tea."
"Thank you for your concern, Madam," Lian Gui said after taking his seat, and then went straight to the point, "This servant was dispatched on an errand by Duke An to Yuyuan Prefecture a few days ago. There is a young woman there, Qi Ye, who greatly resembles our mansion’s Young Lady. Duke An sent me to look in on her and offer assistance. After completing the errand and as I commenced my journey back, Lady Qi entrusted me with some items for the wife of the heir apparent."
Before Lian Gui could even take out the hand-copied booklets, Madam Yin’s voice trembled slightly as she anxiously asked, "May I know... how is that young woman faring, what are her circumstances like?"
Lian Gui had to halt his hand presenting the package, and respectfully replied, "My Lady, rest assured, Lady Qi is now extremely sensible and capable. In just over half a year, she’s managed the Qi family’s household very lucratively and even become Chief Steward of two of His Highness Prince Yu’s estates."
Madam Yin did not rejoice at her daughter’s position as Chief Steward, only murmuring, "She is but a woman, to be able to accomplish all this, she must have suffered so much. Poor child." As she spoke, Madam Yin could not contain the tears welling up in her eyes.
Lian Gui took a look at Nanny Huang, wondering how he was supposed to continue given the wife of the heir apparent’s current state?
Nanny Huang, also concerned about Madam Yin losing control of her emotions, caught Lian Gui’s glance. She handed Madam Yin a handkerchief with an easy tone, "Steward Lian spoke of Lady Qi being extremely astute and intelligent. If a bit of hardship could make one’s child smart and sensible, parents all over the world would be more than willing. Even the children themselves would often wish it so. My Lady should feel happy for the Young Lady."
Madam Yin hurriedly took the handkerchief, dabbing at the corners of her eyes, and managed a smile, "Indeed, it is the child’s good fortune; I truly should be happy for her." Then she spoke apologetically to Lian Gui, "Look at me, getting so carried away with missing my daughter that I forgot to thank Steward Lian for his care. I have made a laughingstock of myself."