Chapter 2: Passing by

Mrs. Xǔ sat next to Mrs. Tóng, who was much older than her. Mrs. Xǔ was beautiful and well-dressed, wearing a popular open-necked straight-fronted jacket and a watermelon red bodice that revealed her fair skin. In contrast, Mrs. Tóng, who only wore a stand-up collar, looked old-fashioned and stiff.

"You two are the last to arrive, so you should be punished. Hurry up and apologize to Mrs. Dàfáng. Your younger sister, the eleventh, has been waiting for everyone to arrive so we can leave," Mrs. Xǔ scolded, then had a maid serve the two girls tea.

Jiāng Róu, who arrived just half a moment after Jiāng Yuàn, pretended to wipe her forehead.

"Madam is absolutely right. It's all my fault for forgetting to bring a gift for the eleventh sister. I had to go back to get it, which delayed us. I hope the younger sister won't mind," she explained, both justifying their lateness and showing goodwill in front of Mrs. Dàfáng.

Mrs. Tóng, with her round face and plump figure, smiled and said, "There's no need for so much formality. We are all one family, there's no need for such formalities."

Despite her words, Mrs. Tóng still sent the eleventh sister out to thank them and accepted the brocade box. She also glanced at Jiāng Yuàn, who was sitting and smiling while drinking tea, thinking to herself that she couldn't compare to the generosity of the fifth sister.

Jiāng Yuàn, on the other hand, couldn't help but notice the disdainful look from Mrs. Dàfáng. She couldn't help but wonder why she had to give a gift to the eleventh sister individually. When they first met, the jewelry she gave her, was it not valuable enough?

Thinking about the rumors about Mrs. Dàfáng, Jiāng Yuàn understood. From the third year of washing, every year during the holidays, the gifts received by the eleventh sister were managed by Mrs. Dàfáng. Jiāng Yuàn could only accept it.

To be able to notice such small benefits on a concubine's daughter... she had nothing to say about such a mistress.

In the room full of women, Mrs. Dàfáng only had Jiāng Shān sitting under her, while Mrs. Xǔ had more people. In addition to the legitimate fifth sister, Jiāng Róu, and the seventh sister, Jiāng Yuàn, there were also several aunts, including the third sister, Jiāng Zhī, and the ninth sister, Jiāng Rǎn.

After chatting and sitting for a while, the maids raised the curtains, and the masters and their servants, along with dozens of people, left in a grand procession.

Jiāng Yuàn heard a few suppressed coughs behind her and turned to see the third sister, Jiāng Zhī, deliberately falling behind, with a maid gently patting her back and a hint of worry in her eyes.

"Is your health still not good, Third Sister?" Jiāng Yuàn slowed down and approached her.

"The doctor that Madam invited is very good. After taking a few doses of medicine, I feel much better. I accidentally caught a cold breeze just now, which made my throat itchy again. Thank you for your concern," Jiāng Zhī replied.

Among the concubine's daughters, Jiāng Yuàn was not the most favored, but Jiāng Zhī, her illegitimate third sister, was the most beautiful. Despite being born with a weak constitution, she was still very charming and pitiful. Just a glance from her was full of charm.

"Never mind, the mountains are cooler than the county town, and the mountain wind is strong. Third Sister, you should go back to rest. I will talk to Madam for you later," Jiāng Yuàn said.

The anxious Aunt Yóu was overjoyed. If the seventh sister spoke, Madam would not blame her. "Thank you for your concern, sister."

"What's there to thank me for? Should I thank you for not letting the Third Sister eat the vegetarian food from Cí'ān Temple? Aunt, you should stay too. If only the Third Sister eats alone, it won't be as enjoyable without the vegetarian dishes. That would be my fault." Jiāng Yuàn waved to have someone take them back to their room, and as she watched Aunt Yóu's grateful expression, she gradually put away her smile.

In the Great Zhou Dynasty, the distinction between noble and commoner was like heaven and earth, a gap that no one could bridge.

"Miss, the words the Fifth Sister said just now, I don't know if she's being sincere or not. If it weren't for Xīn Zhī reminding her, she wouldn't have remembered the hairpin incident. Now it seems like she's the one who's considerate, having prepared the gift early, but just forgot to bring it when leaving," Chūn Yīng massaged her shoulders, feeling that the Fifth Sister was always trying to outdo her own sister.

"Why bother with her? It's not pleasant to say, but she doesn't have her birth mother to protect her, so she's not at ease. Can I blame her for that?" Jiāng Yuàn was very open-minded about this.

She often thought that in this life, she was fortunate. With a mother who was the second wife of a county magistrate, and a birth mother with great means, she was already very satisfied.

Looking at the lively and carefree Eleventh Sister, Jiāng Shān, who was playing ahead, Jiāng Yuàn's eyes flashed, and she sighed at the back of Mrs. Dàfáng, feeling sorry for Jiāng Shān, who was being raised with such cunning and malicious methods by her stepmother. Her future... she feared it would be difficult for her.

As the group boarded the carriages, the internal family of the county magistrate going out was quite a spectacle in the area of Tàilóng County. With seven or eight carriages and two rows of guards, the main street was cleared early, and the common people could only retreat to the sides in respect.

The rules passed down by the ancestors between the aristocracy and the commoners were like an unbridgeable chasm.

"Miss, the Fifth Sister's words just now, I don't know if she's sincere or not. If it weren't for Xīn Zhī reminding her, she wouldn't have remembered the hairpin incident. Now it seems like she's the considerate one, having prepared the gift early, but just forgot to bring it when leaving," Chūn Yīng massaged her shoulders, feeling that the Fifth Sister was always trying to outdo her own sister.

"Why bother with her? It's not pleasant to say, but she doesn't have her birth mother to protect her, so she's not at ease. Can I blame her for that?" Jiāng Yuàn was very open-minded about this.

She often thought that in this life, she was fortunate. With a mother who was the second wife of a county magistrate, and a birth mother with great means, she was already very satisfied.

Looking at the lively and carefree Eleventh Sister, Jiāng Shān, who was playing ahead, Jiāng Yuàn's eyes flashed, and she sighed at the back of Mrs. Dàfáng, feeling sorry for Jiāng Shān, who was being raised with such cunning and malicious methods by her stepmother. Her future... she feared it would be difficult for her.

As the group boarded the carriages, the internal family of the county magistrate going out was quite a spectacle in the area of Tàilóng County. With seven or eight carriages and two rows of guards, the main street was cleared early, and the common people could only retreat to the sides in respect.

The rules passed down by the ancestors between the aristocracy and the commoners were like an unbridgeable chasm.

"The girl is indeed shrewd. Nothing is more important than being cherished by the master's wife. We'll find a satisfactory marriage for her in the future. That's all the girl needs for her whole life," Mrs. Cui said, as she embroidered with a needle in hand, expressing her agreement with her daughter.

"It's a pity for the third miss. Her health is too weak. Even if she's well-born, she'll suffer in marriage negotiations in the future. She missed the chance to go to the mountains this time, and it will be difficult for her to go out again in the future. I heard that the madam has already started looking for a match for the third miss. If it's true, she will have to stay in the inner chambers from now on," Chunying, the senior maid, arranged snacks in the food box and placed them on the low table in the center, then brought out the warm teapot to refill her mistress's cup. She sighed along with Mrs. Cui's words.

Jiang Yuan flipped through the book in her hand, but her mind was elsewhere.

Thirteen years old. Miss Jiang Zhi had just turned thirteen. Even if the marriage negotiations were arranged, she would be married by the age of fifteen.

She sneaked a glance behind the book. What a good seedling, but it had become someone else's so early.

Before long, they arrived at the foot of the mountain, but the carriage was not allowed to proceed. They switched to sedan chairs and finally arrived at the gate of Cian Temple, where they stepped out of the sedan chairs and were led by a young monk who had been waiting at the gate.

"Please excuse us for a moment!"

On the quiet path, a sudden shout startled everyone, causing them to turn around in surprise.

Cian Temple, which usually did not allow sedan chairs to enter, today saw a navy blue sedan chair carried by four guards rushing in from behind.

Two people followed the sedan chair. One wore a tall hat and held a folding fan in the early spring. He saluted the crowd from a distance, dressed as a scholar.

The other person had a cold face, fairer than a woman's, with a delicate and handsome appearance. Despite his appearance, he held a tasseled spear in his right hand, exuding a fierce aura.

Mrs. Xu's gaze fell on the scholar's waist sash, and her eyes narrowed. She quickly smiled and gestured for everyone to move to the side. "Please, sir."

Jiang Yuan also noticed that this person's identity was extraordinary. He was the county magistrate, with a rank several levels higher than her father's.

The entourage had a significant background, and she wondered who the owner of the sedan chair was.

As she pondered, a gust of wind suddenly lifted the corner of the sedan curtain.

Jiang Yuan's gaze met a pair of deep, dark eyes. They were like an abyss, profound and unfathomable.