Chapter 6: Greetings

Dressed in a sky-blue embroidered silk skirt with delicate and intricate designs, her long black hair was skillfully styled into a cloud bun by Madam Zhou. Several sapphire-studded golden hairpins were casually placed, making her dark hair appear even more lustrous and glossy. She looked radiant and elegant, exuding the charm of spring and the brightness of autumn.

Madam Zhou was very satisfied with her appearance, even without makeup, she looked exceptionally refined and elegant.

After getting ready, Madam Zhou put a coral bracelet on her wrist, accentuating her flawless and delicate skin.

As they walked out of the Hanyan Courtyard, Madam Zhou held her hand and instructed her, "When you meet the old lady later, tell her that you have just finished bathing and changing clothes before daring to come and pay your respects. If the old lady refuses to see you, kneel in the courtyard. If she still doesn't see you after fifteen minutes, pretend to faint..."

Mingwei's eyes widened in confusion. Madam Zhou was her nursemaid, why was she teaching her to pretend to faint and deceive her elders? Just as she was thinking about this, Madam Zhou, still concerned, asked, "Do you understand, Miss?"

She understood, but she was even more puzzled. How much had Xier hidden from her?

After the instructions, Madam Zhou helped Mingwei adjust the jade pendant hanging from her waist and then said, "Xueyan, accompany the young lady to Changhui Courtyard."

Mingwei shook her head and said, "Let Xier accompany me."

Madam Zhou nodded. It was better to have Xier accompany her. There were some things that the young lady couldn't explain, and Xier could speak for her, which would not upset the old lady.

Once they were out of the Hanyan Courtyard, Mingwei looked at Xier and asked with a slightly tense expression, "Why did Madam Zhou give me so many instructions? Does the old lady dislike me so much?"

Dressed in luxurious embroidered clothes and pearl-studded shoes, she looked like a favored daughter. She had never thought that her grandmother would dislike her so much, to the extent that she needed to pretend to faint.

Xier hesitated, and Mingwei became annoyed. Xier was always quick-witted when lying to her, but now she seemed hesitant. "Just speak up," Mingwei's voice rose, and Xier shrank back, trembling as she said, "Miss, when you were eight, you fell into the water and your head was not quite right. Madam Zhou was reminding you not to upset the old lady."

"So, you mean I used to be a fool?" Mingwei furrowed her brow at this realization.

Xier shook her head, "Miss, you were never a fool. You were just a bit timid and didn't understand some of the things the old lady said."

Mingwei understood. It seemed that when she fell into the water, she had injured her head, leaving her with the mind of an eight-year-old. Yet, even with this, she had managed to marry the Fourth Prince. It seemed that the Emperor was very disdainful of his own son.

Being timid and not understanding what she said, it was no wonder that the old lady didn't like her. But to kneel down was too much to ask.

Mingwei was thinking about how to avoid kneeling, but what Xier said next made her curse the heavens.

It was bad enough that she had to wear the clothes, but now it seemed that it could get even worse!

The old lady didn't dislike her because she was timid and didn't understand, but because when she was one year old, she fell ill and her mother, Lady Su, took her to the Buddhist temple to pray for medicine. Later, the servant and nursemaid who were supposed to bring her brother back were killed, and her brother went missing. He had not been found to this day.

The missing person was not only the old lady's beloved grandson, but also the only son of her father, Marquis Dingbei. Her father had been injured while saving the Emperor and was told by the imperial physician that he would have difficulty having children. At that time, Lady Su was pregnant, and after her elder brother disappeared, she became the only hope for the main branch, but unfortunately, she gave birth to a daughter.

In other words, not only Mingwei, but also Mingrou were not well-received. However, Mingrou was sweet-tongued and talented, and over the years, she had managed to win the old lady's favor, while Mingwei had never been looked upon kindly by the old lady and was considered a harbinger of disaster.

If she had known earlier that her position in the Marquis's residence was like this, she would never have come back.

Xier had deceived her!

Mingwei wanted to strangle Xier to vent her anger.

Seeing her, Xier took several steps back, feeling guilty, and said, "Miss, you are better now. You will definitely be able to please the old lady just like the Third Miss."

How could she please her? Just by kneeling for a long time?

Did she know that first impressions were the hardest to change? It was a deep-seated aversion that could not be easily resolved, unless she could find her beloved grandson and he was both handsome and talented!

Mingwei was furious. Although her parents were good to her, the old lady was the highest elder in the Marquis's residence. If she didn't win her favor, her days would not be easy. Xier then said, "Madam has calculated your fate. In the future, you will be the one to find the young master. Madam asked you to remember that there is a plum blossom birthmark on the young master's buttocks, you must not forget..."