Chapter 6: Speaking of Marriage

Although Shishu is just a maid, because she serves in the ancestral house and is a close maid, the fabric of her clothes is even better than Siwan's, but the style is still that of a servant. No matter how good the fabric is, wearing it still makes her look like a servant.

Siwan, although not favored and born of a concubine, is ultimately the flesh and blood of the master. Wearing servant's clothes really doesn't look right. When people see her, it doesn't look like she's coming to pay respects to her grandmother. It looks more like a maid who has been given a different task.

Ziqin felt a pang of sadness on the side, but fortunately, her young lady has always been indifferent to these things. It's probably just Second Miss deliberately embarrassing Third Miss in front of the old lady.

Thinking of this, Ziqin stepped forward to help Siwan straighten her clothes and said, "Miss, you go in first. I'll go get you some clean clothes so you don't have to wear Shishu's clothes and have to change back and forth."

Shishu's clothes were too long, and Siwan was really uncomfortable wearing them, so she nodded to indicate that Ziqin should go quickly and come back soon.

Shishu led Siwan into the old lady's inner room, and Siwan saw a slightly plump old lady sitting on the kang in front of her, with a long face, gentle eyebrows, and a peaceful demeanor with a hint of aloofness.

Carefully glancing at her, Siwan didn't dare to look too much, and respectfully went forward to pay her respects to the old ancestor. The old ancestor lazily looked at her.

"How old are you?"

"Grandmother, I'm fifteen."

Siwan answered respectfully, but in her heart, she was secretly criticizing. How could a grandmother not know her granddaughter's age? A concubine's daughter really isn't treated like a person.

"You're of marriageable age, it's time to talk about marriage." The old ancestor nodded casually.

Siwan was taken aback, a hint of panic flashed through her heart, but she remained respectful on the surface and didn't dare to say anything.

It's really a case of fearing the worst. She's only fifteen, in her previous life she would have just finished junior high school, and now she's getting married, isn't that harming an underage girl?

"Well, you look good, and I heard you can read?" The old ancestor asked again.

"I can read a little, not much. I'm currently reading 'The Book for Women'." Siwan answered respectfully.

"Well, your fifth aunt is the one who brought you up, I suppose she taught you to read, but she's not very knowledgeable, when you go back later, you can read some women's teachings and rules in my room, remember to recite them in the room every day. When you go out in the future, you'll know some etiquette and rules, don't disgrace the literary reputation of the Gu family."

Siwan quickly knelt down to thank her, and the old lady waved her hand, saying, "Your aunt is a strong woman, clearly capable and refined, but unfortunately, she doesn't receive much favor, these years have been hard on her, and on you too."

Siwan didn't dare to interrupt, she knew that her birth mother was originally a senior maid in the old ancestor's house and was very much favored by the old ancestor.

But later, she was assigned to the eldest son of the Gu family, Gu Yiqing, and she never received his favor. After giving birth to Siwan, Gu Yiqing sent her to the Songhe Courtyard.

Sometimes Siwan would also think along the lines of this era, if she were a boy, perhaps her mother wouldn't have been so neglected.

"Have your fifth aunt bring in your betrothal gifts later."

After the old ancestor said this, she looked tired and lazy, and she just lay down on the large pillow on the kang and fell asleep.

She didn't say a word about the swollen marks on Siwan's face from start to finish, as if she hadn't seen them at all.

Siwan didn't care, after responding "yes", she was about to leave respectfully, but the old lady saw two oleander flowers falling from her and said in surprise, "Why did you pick them, they're poisonous."

Siwan lowered her head and replied, "Grandmother, oleander is indeed poisonous, but when paired with cassia twig, it can invigorate the blood and dispel stasis, regulate menstruation and relieve pain.

"If paired with ephedra, it also has the effect of relieving asthma and cough, promoting diuresis and reducing swelling. It's actually a good medicine, and my room is currently lacking it, so I boldly picked a few branches."

The old lady rarely widened her eyes and looked sharply at Siwan, saying, "You actually understand the principles of medicine?"

Siwan said, "In my spare time, I like to read some miscellaneous books. If someone has a headache or fever, they don't need to find a doctor, they can just take some medicine themselves."

Finally, a smile appeared on the old lady's face, and she nodded, saying, "You're quite a diligent learner. Wait in the hall for a while, your fifth aunt will come to see you later."

Siwan had never seen her fifth aunt since she crossed over, and the old lady seemed to be suggesting that she should reunite with her mother and daughter.

As Siwan left, a sharp light flashed in the old ancestor's eyes, and she said to Liu Mama, "You were too heavy-handed, punish her to copy the women's teachings a hundred times and confine her for half a month."

When Siwan came out, she saw Ziqin coming back out of breath, and hurriedly went to meet her. While changing clothes, Siwan stayed in Shishu's room for a while longer.

Not long after, Shishu led in a woman in her thirties. The woman was dressed in a simple light gray gauze dress, with a simple hairstyle, and only a wooden hairpin on her head. She looked like a village woman, but she was clean and neat.

With her beautiful face and graceful figure, even in plain clothes, she couldn't hide her charm.

Siwan had never seen her, but she felt inexplicably familiar, and there was a hint of inexplicable closeness. When the woman saw her, she was also slightly surprised, then her eyes turned red, and she reached out to her, but stopped abruptly, trembling as she said, "Third Miss..."