Wang shi came back to her senses, "Mother wants to see big sister-in-law? I'll go call her. Big sister-in-law just said she was a bit tired and went back to rest."
Upon hearing this, Madam Lu's eyebrows were about to knit together. This eldest daughter-in-law was truly out of line. Her mother-in-law was ill, and instead of being by her side to serve, she went back to her room to rest. It seemed she had been too lenient with her.
"Go and call her over," Madam Lu said with a somber face.
Wang shi went to Bai shi's room. Bai shi was lying on the couch fully clothed, while her maid was massaging her back and legs. She truly knew how to enjoy herself.
"Big sister-in-law, Mother has woken up and is a bit unhappy that you aren't here," Wang shi said.
Bai shi waved her hand irritably, and the two maids stepped back.
"You didn't say anything, did you?" Bai shi asked.
"I said big sister-in-law was a bit tired and went back to her room to rest," Wang shi replied.
"Are you doing this on purpose?" Bai shi glared at Wang shi angrily.
Wang shi looked innocent. "Purposefully? Big sister-in-law did go back to her room to rest, didn't she? I was just telling the truth."
"You..." Bai shi looked at Wang shi suspiciously, trying to discern if she was doing it intentionally or unintentionally.
"Big sister-in-law, instead of staring at me, you'd better hurry to Mother's room. When I came out, Mother was a little angry," Wang shi added.
Bai shi, in a fit of rage, bumped into Wang shi and hurried towards Madam Lu's room.
Wang shi shrugged indifferently and followed behind Bai shi towards Madam Lu's room, ready to watch the drama unfold from the side.
Meanwhile, Qingmei found Li Yu in the front courtyard. After conveying Wang shi's message, Li Yu was a bit bewildered. "Sister Qingmei, is this really my mother's wish?"
Qingmei nodded affirmatively, "Madam said so."
"Why has my mother suddenly changed her mind? Could it be that she's plotting something against my two sisters again and using me as a pawn?" Li Yu analyzed calmly.
Qingmei hesitated, "It doesn't seem like it, servant."
"No matter what, since Mother wants me to apologize, I'll go and apologize. If my mother tries any more bad tricks, Qingmei, you must be a witness," Li Yu stared at Qingmei. "Although you are my mother's maid, I will be in charge of the second household in the future. You need to think carefully."
Li Yu's stern face and his clear black and white eyes exuded an aura that stunned Qingmei.
Qingmei lowered her head and mumbled, "Servant understands."
"Go back and tell my mother that I will apologize to my two sisters properly. Also, please help me deliver this to my mother." Li Yu took out an exquisite, long and narrow box from his sleeve pocket and handed it to Qingmei.
After Qingmei left, Li Yu packed a few things, went out of the courtyard, found a young servant in the Marquis's mansion, and asked him to lead the way, all the way to the back courtyard. Upon reaching the floral gate, the servant was replaced by a matron who took him directly towards Longxiang Yuan. Li Yu felt a bit smug. He was taking advantage of his young age; otherwise, it wouldn't have been so easy to enter the back courtyard. Brother Zheng had only entered the back courtyard once, the time they first arrived at the Marquis's mansion.
"Brother Yu, why are you here?" Qi Zhenzhen and the others had just returned from Chaohui Hall and met Li Yu at the courtyard gate.
Li Yu formally greeted the young ladies and said crisply, "I've prepared gifts for all of you sisters and brought them specifically."
Li Yu's face still had a baby's roundness, fair and clean, like the chubby baby holding a carp in a New Year's painting. Although he was a child, his every move was very proper, creating a contrast that was endearing. Qi Zhenzhen couldn't help but reach out and pinch Li Yu's cheek. "Our Brother Yu has grown up and knows how to prepare gifts for his sisters. Come, come inside, let your sisters see what good things you've prepared."
After entering the room, Qi Zhenzhen personally took off Li Yu's cloak and placed him on the couch.
Li Yu's small face was flushed, and he kept saying he could do it himself.
Although he had a good relationship with his two concubine sisters, Li Nuan and Li Rou, his sisters had never held him like this before. It was quite embarrassing.
"Quick, show your sisters the gifts you've prepared for us!" Qi Zhenzhen extended her hand.
Li Yu took out the items one by one from his satchel. "These were carved by myself. Brother Yi taught me when he was here. I practiced for a long time to make these few things."
At first glance, they all looked the same.
Upon closer inspection, the carvings on the hairpin heads were different.
The hairpin shapes were not perfect, but they were polished very meticulously, showing that he had put in effort.
After Li Yu distributed them to Qi Zhenzhen and the others, two were left. "These two are for Sister Mingzhu and Sister Zhenzhen. Sister Zhenzhen, could you have someone help me send them over? I, I'm not very familiar with them."
"Of course," Qi Zhenzhen gave the two hairpins to Erxi and asked her to deliver them.
"Thank you, Sister Zhenzhen," Li Yu thanked her obediently.
"Since you call me sister, you don't need to be so polite," Qi Zhenzhen stroked the little tuft of hair on his head.
"My teacher said that one should know when to advance and retreat, and be grateful. One should not neglect thanks just because they are close," Li Yu said earnestly.
At this age, it was the time to form a sense of right and wrong and cultivate good habits, so Qi Zhenzhen didn't say anything more about politeness. She raised the wooden hairpin Li Yu had given her. "Sister has received your gift, and she also wants to thank you."
Li Nuan was amused. "You two, one big and one small, keep thanking each other endlessly. Come, Brother Yu, sit here with your sister. Why aren't you studying at this time?"
Li Yu got up from the couch, tidied his clothes, cupped his hands, and bowed deeply towards Li Nuan and Li Rou.
"What are you doing?" Li Nuan reacted and got up to help him.
"Sister Nuan, Sister Rou, I'm here to apologize to you on behalf of my mother." Li Yu said with a look of guilt, "Today in Chaohui Hall..."
Li Nuan waved her hand, "You are you, and Mother is Mother. You don't need to be like this."
Their stepmother disliked them, and that was between them. Li Nuan had always been able to distinguish things clearly and would not let her emotions towards Madam Wang affect Li Yu.
Li Yu wanted to ease the relationship between his mother and his two sisters, so he naturally spoke on behalf of Madam Wang. Besides, he wasn't lying; his mother had indeed instructed him to apologize to his two sisters on her behalf.
"Sister Nuan, it was my mother who asked me to come and apologize to you. If it weren't for my mother, I wouldn't have known what happened at our paternal grandaunt's place," Li Yu said.
Huh?
Li Nuan and Li Rou exchanged glances, seeing disbelief in each other's eyes.
Madam Wang not only didn't seek revenge but sent Brother Yu to apologize to them? What was this all about?
"Although I don't know why my mother suddenly changed her tune, this is true," Li Yu emphasized. "Perhaps my mother has had a sudden awakening and realized her past mistakes? Sister Nuan, Sister Rou, my mother isn't inherently bad, just a bit foolish."