Chapter 9: Meeting the Old Madam

In the room, Xue Qiandai's eyes lit up. She immediately stood up and walked toward the exit, not even waiting for Xique to lift the door curtain, but hurriedly opening it herself and rushing out.

Xue Qianwu looked at her sister and said, "Grandmother and Mother have arrived. I must go to pay my respects. Since you are injured, you should lie down for now; Grandmother and Mother likely won't blame you."

Qiange smiled and said, "I wonder which maid ran to fetch Grandmother and Mother. If I don't go out, wouldn't I just be letting them say whatever they want?"

Xue Qianwu's lips moved, but she said nothing, only letting out a deep sigh. Qiandai was, after all, the sister she had doted on for over ten years; although her feelings couldn't compare to those for Qiange, she truly loved her. Yet, things had turned into this mess today.

Qiange patted her hand comfortingly and smiled, "Grandmother and Mother are already outside, so let's head out quickly as well."

"Mm," Xue Qianwu snapped back to her senses, pulling herself together. "Wait a moment, Sister will go get your clothes for you."

Qiange nodded. She could see that her sister still held great affection for Xue Qiandai, but a seed of doubt had already been planted in her heart. That was enough. There was plenty of time ahead; sooner or later, her sister would see Xue Qiandai's true colors and be utterly disappointed in her.

A moment later, Xue Qianwu brought over a moon-white diamond-patterned outer robe and a scallion-green floral-patterned chest-high Ruqun. She carefully helped Qiange out of bed, helped her dress, and quickly styled her hair into a cloud bun, pinning a pale green silk flower into the center of the bun.

After draping an Ruyi satin embroidered plum blossom cloak over Qiange, she put on a spring blossom patterned satin cloak herself, and Qianwu supported Qiange as they walked out of the room.

As the two walked under the tinkling bell eaves and looked up, they saw that the Old Madam and Lady Lu had already sat down in the courtyard. Xue Qiandai was snuggled beside the Old Madam, her head lowered as if whispering something.

Qianwu supported Qiange as they approached, then lowered her head in a formal salute, saying, "Granddaughter greets Grandmother, greets Mother."

The Old Madam was draped in a black silk cloak with gold thread auspicious Ruyi embroidery and a mink collar, wearing a royal blue floral patterned damask Mamian skirt below, and a navy blue headband inlaid with emeralds on her forehead. Her face had been displeased from the moment she saw them emerge, and it was only when Qiange let out a sharp intake of breath due to the pain of her wound being pulled during the salute that her expression softened. She said, "Since the second girl is injured, there is no need for such formalities."

Sitting to the side, wearing an autumn-fragrance colored peony-patterned silver fox cloak and a pomegranate-red twelve-panel spring scenery Mamian skirt, with several eight-treasure jade beaded hairpins in her falling-horse bun and double-strand entwined branch red gold bracelets on her wrists, Lady Lu—with her narrow elongated eyes and sharp nose—said upon hearing this, "The second young lady is injured, yet she can still punish the servants; she surely hasn't lost the strength required to pay respects to the Old Madam."

Upon hearing this, the Old Madam's expression darkened once again.

Lady Lu continued, "As soon as the Old Madam arrived, the third young lady hurried out to welcome her, yet the eldest and second young ladies carry quite an air of importance."

"Mother," Xue Qiandai said softly, "Second Sister is injured, please show her some leniency."

"I don't mind showing leniency, but are you suggesting the Old Madam should show her leniency?" Lady Lu said. "In such cold weather, if the Old Madam were to fall ill from the wind, who could bear the responsibility?"

"Enough, my body isn't that weak; I won't fall ill just from a bit of wind," the Old Madam said displeasedly. She was openly targeting Lady Lu, but in reality, she was implying that Qiange was even weaker than her, acting overly delicate after just a few strokes of the board.

A smile appeared on Lady Lu's face. "It is my daughter-in-law who is over-worrying; the Old Madam is in excellent health."

Xue Qianwu couldn't help but want to defend her sister, but Qiange squeezed her palm, stepped forward, and said with a face full of shame

"Mother's reprimand is correct. Qiange only has a minor injury, and it truly was not right to make Grandmother and Mother wait in the cold wind. It is just that the maids and nannies Mother sent to care for your granddaughter must have been idling somewhere, leaving your granddaughter to dress and groom herself. Thus, I was delayed and made Grandmother and Mother wait in vain. It is truly unfilial."