In Yannan Courtyard, Xu Miaoniang was massaging the shoulders of the Old Duchess Dowager Lan Shi. Lan Shi closed her eyes, a look of enjoyment on her face.
“Miaoniang, your skill is truly divine. None of the people serving me can match your technique. The pressure is just right; I was feeling a bit tired earlier, but now I feel much better. Don’t keep pressing; come sit and rest for a while and have some tea with this old woman. Oh, right, you mentioned this morning that you were making soup for Ah Nian. Did you send it over?” Lan Shi opened her eyes and pulled Xu Miaoniang to sit beside her.
Xu Miaoniang sat down obediently, a slight smile curving her lips. “Miaoniang doesn’t know much; I only learned a bit of medicine from my grandfather. I know the distribution of acupoints on the body and how much pressure to apply to stimulate them for the most comfort. Besides these, what other skills does Miaoniang have that are worth mentioning? The soup was sent over earlier. The Heir was working in his study, so I didn’t go in. A servant from his courtyard delivered it. They’ve already sent the soup tureen back.”
“You girl, you’re just too modest. What do you mean you only know those things? Don’t you know enough?” Lan Shi chided Xu Miaoniang with a glance. “This old woman loves your pastries the most, and the soups you make. Oh, and the forehead band you made for me is both elegant and comfortable. The other day when I went out, my old friends were all envious of me.”
“That’s because you, Old Madam, are elegant. This forehead band has borrowed some of your elegance,” Xu Miaoniang said very earnestly.
“Look at how sweet your words are, you really know how to talk.” Lan Shi, being older, particularly enjoyed hearing compliments. A smile spread across her face, and she was very pleased.
“Miaoniang’s words are the clumsiest; how are they sweet? I’m just speaking the truth.”
Lan Shi thought back to Miaoniang’s disposition when they were in the south. She was indeed quiet and reserved, not one to curry favor, always doing things silently. Such a person wasn’t someone who could sweet-talk others. Thinking this, Lan Shi became even happier. A young lady should be like this: reserved, introverted, and sensible.
“Alright, the truth, the truth.” Lan Shi’s mouth was so wide with a smile she could hardly close it. “You know, you shouldn’t just keep me company, this old woman. You should interact more with the Heir. This isn’t the outside world where you need to be so cautious. Do you understand what I mean?”
Xu Miaoniang nodded shyly. “I, I will listen to the Old Madam.”
Lan Shi was very satisfied, increasingly feeling that bringing Xu Miaoniang back was the right decision. These past few days, she had subtly observed the young ladies from prominent families in the capital. They all appeared respectful, but their eyes couldn’t hide their hidden agendas. How could they compare to the pure-hearted and intelligent Xu Miaoniang? She wouldn’t harbor unnecessary thoughts, nor would she be foolish enough to be unable to handle matters.
“Old Madam, regarding Madam, should I visit her often?” Xu Miaoniang asked.
Lan Shi nodded. “Yes, you should visit more often. You all live together, and she is your elder. Her health is not good at the moment, and you are the junior. It’s good to show filial piety.”
Lan Shi had her own ulterior motives. She fancied Xu Miaoniang not just because the girl was sensible, but also because she was alone and helpless. Once she entered the Duke’s mansion, she would be entirely part of the Duke’s mansion. Her maternal family would be non-existent, and there would be no endless troublesome matters. Then, she could devote herself wholeheartedly to Ah Nian, saving so much trouble.
At least it wouldn’t be like the Dong family, sticking to the Duke’s mansion like a persistent plaster that couldn’t be removed.
And then there was the Qin family. Although the daughter-in-law was good, and the Qin family wasn’t unreasonable, they were too overbearing. The Duke’s mansion was often at a disadvantage, which was also not ideal.
It was better to have someone like Xu Miaoniang, without a strong background, who was good in all aspects.
After all, at the Duke’s mansion’s position, there was no need to elevate their status through the woman’s family.
“Old Madam, does Madam have any taboos?” Xu Miaoniang asked carefully.
Lan Shi narrowed her eyes and thought for a moment. “That person, she has no desires and no demands, so there really aren’t any taboos. Oh, right, she likes quiet, and after her health declined, she liked it even more. Besides when Ah Nian visits, there’s a bit of life in Lanzhi Courtyard; otherwise, it’s always lifeless. I don’t even like going to her courtyard anymore; it always feels very oppressive.”
Another reason was her age; she was afraid of catching the illness.
No desires, no demands? Such a person would be the hardest to please, Xu Miaoniang thought to herself.
However, since she had decided to stay in the Duke’s mansion, she had to try to please those she needed to. She was the Heir’s mother. If she wanted to marry Gu Sinian, she still needed to gain her approval. Even if it was difficult, she had to brace herself and do it.
Having received the Old Madam’s approval, Xu Miaoniang went to Lanzhi Courtyard the next day.
She carried a food box containing pastries she had made herself.
On a plain white dish with a clear background, slightly larger than dice, were neatly arranged white, moist pastries, sprinkled with faint golden osmanthus flowers, making them look very beautiful.
Xu Miaoniang arrived in the late morning. This time of day should be when people were most energetic.
After the maidservant in Lanzhi Courtyard went in to announce her, someone came out to lead Xu Miaoniang into the room.
It was already the end of March. Xu Miaoniang was wearing a thin padded jacket and skirt, while Qin Shi was wearing thick cotton clothes, with a padded quilt over her legs and a hand warmer in her hands.
“Miss Xu, please sit on the couch. Stay a bit farther away from me. My health is not good, and I’m afraid of passing any illness to you,” Qin Shi said in a low, weak voice.
Xu Miaoniang placed the food box on the table, opened the lid, and took out the pastries.
There were three plates in total.
“Madam, I made yam cakes this morning. I wasn’t sure of your preference, so I made three portions: one slightly sweet, one moderately sweet, and one with higher sweetness. Yam cakes nourish qi, and it would be good for your health to eat some, Madam,” Xu Miaoniang said softly.
Li Momo, who was by Qin Shi’s side, saw Qin Shi nod and took the sweetest portion. “Cousin Miss, our Madam likes sweet things.”
Xu Miaoniang smiled and sat obediently in the spot designated by Qin Shi, maintaining a proper, faint smile on her face, very well-behaved.
The yam cakes were exquisitely made. Qin Shi ate four pieces before stopping. Li Momo looked touched. “Cousin Miss, our Madam hasn’t had such a good appetite in a long time.”
Just four small pieces of pastry; even if a normal person ate ten or eight pieces, it wouldn’t be much. For Qin Shi, four pieces constituted a greatly improved appetite, which showed how poor Qin Shi’s health was.
“If Madam likes them, I’ll make some more for you often. However, Madam cannot indulge too much; you must take it gradually. Dietary therapy takes effect slowly, and you can eat more only after some time,” Xu Miaoniang said.
Li Momo’s eyes brightened. “Cousin Miss, does this mean our Madam’s health can slowly recover?”
“When my grandfather was alive, he practiced medicine and saved people. For some people with poor foundations, my grandfather advised against taking medicine. Medicine has three parts poison, and for those with a weak constitution, those three parts poison could make their health worse. As long as the illness is not fatal, it is better to nourish the body slowly through diet,” Xu Miaoniang said.