The second young lady, Wen Yuanhuan, and the third young lady, Wen Yuanle, from the main branch by Concubine Miao, along with the fourth young lady, Wen Yuanjia, from the second branch by Lady Zhu, said in unison to Lady Sang: 'Mother, please invite Eldest Sister and Eldest Brother to join us for dinner.'
Although Jiang Xuesui had never met this eldest cousin, she also joined the three cousins beside her in pleading with Lady Sang.
With Lady Zhu and Lady Yu also encouraging her, Lady Sang finally ordered the maids to call for her son and daughter.
Wen Yuanhuan and Wen Yuanle, sitting to Jiang Xuesui's left and right, began whispering to her.
Wen Yuanhuan: 'Yuanyuan, Eldest Sister is so nice, so nice.'
Wen Yuanle: 'Yuanyuan, Eldest Brother is so bad, so bad.'
Wen Yuanhuan: 'Yuanyuan, Eldest Sister is good. Play with Eldest Sister.'
Wen Yuanle: 'Yuanyuan, Eldest Brother is bad. Don't mind Eldest Brother.'
Wen Yuanjia also whispered: 'Second Sister and Third Sister are right. None of us like Eldest Brother.'
Jiang Xuesui asked curiously: 'Why don't you like Brother A Qiao?'
Wen Yuanhuan: 'Eldest Brother doesn't like to talk and ignores us.'
Wen Yuanle: 'Eldest Brother only studies, and he studies very well. Mother always compares us to him.'
Wen Yuanjia: 'Eldest Brother's hands and feet are especially cold, like a ghost, no warmth. It's scary.' This she had heard the maids and nannies whisper behind his back.
So Brother A Qiao was disliked by all the young masters and young ladies in Duke Xiangguo's Mansion. No wonder he spoke so sharply.
But Brother A Qiao had saved her life, and Jiang Xuesui wanted to get along well with him.
The maids outside the door lifted the curtain and let in the eldest young lady, Wen Yuan'ai, and the eldest young master, Wen Qiao, born to Lady Sang.
Wen Yuan'ai was very pretty, with an egg-shaped face, big eyes, peach-blossom cheeks and apricot-like complexion, innocent and delicate.
Lady Sang led Wen Yuan'ai to greet Jiang Xuesui.
'You are Yuanyuan, I am Aiai. Aiai likes Yuanyuan.' Wen Yuan'ai pointed at Jiang Xuesui, then at herself.
Jiang Xuesui nodded and smiled: 'Yuanyuan likes Sister Aiai too.'
Wen Yuan'ai clapped her hands and grinned.
Lady Sang smiled knowingly and led her daughter to sit beside her.
Everyone placed Wen Yuan'ai's favorite dishes into her bowl. By the end of the dinner, Jiang Xuesui had become familiar with her cousins.
Hailan also breathed a sigh of relief. Seeing how everyone treated Wen Yuan'ai, the child with episodes, she knew that Duke Xiangguo's Mansion was a harmonious and happy family. Then Suijie'er would be able to live well here.
*
After Hailan had Jiang Xuesui settled down in Jiangxue Residence, she carried an amber box to the Penglai Study to see Old Madam Wen.
'Old Madam, my master has instructed me to tell you that although Suijie'er resides in your mansion, all her expenses should not come from the public funds. They should be taken from this money box.'
Hailan opened the amber box in her hands, revealing a stack of neatly arranged banknotes. The smallest denomination was a hundred taels.
'If you refuse, my master will come tomorrow to take Suijie'er away.'
Old Madam Wen frowned. 'How much can a child eat or use? Shaohua's worries are too thorough. He doesn't treat me as Yuanyuan's own maternal grandmother.'
'It is precisely because you are treated as Suijie'er's own maternal grandmother that this is necessary.'
'What's the reasoning?'
'Our Suijie'er is not an orphan, nor did she come to seek refuge with you. She came to admire your family's traditions, so she was sent here to be raised under your tutelage. If she used the Wen family's silver, then when she grows up, she would owe a debt of gratitude. But how could she repay it? Your mansion lacks neither gold nor silver. To repay it with Suijie'er herself would be good for strengthening ties, but it must be with her consent. If she is unwilling, the debt cannot be repaid, and you would be caught in a dilemma. That would bring shame to both families and cause estrangement.'
Old Madam Wen pondered carefully, and the figure of her daughter appeared in her mind. Her eyes reddened.
'That is indeed the case. Hailan, this was thought up by my eccentric Cheng Girl, wasn't it?'
Hailan nodded. 'You are truly perceptive, Old Madam. These were indeed my mistress's exact words before she passed.'
She added: 'My mistress also said that when Suijie'er grows up and marries, if she could choose a young master from your mansion, that would be best, because at her maternal grandmother's home, she would never suffer the grievances of a daughter-in-law. But if such a day comes, and the young couple quarrel and say things without restraint, and the young master says, "You grew up eating my family's food and wearing my family's clothes," wouldn't Suijie'er be utterly wronged? Our Suijie'er doesn't use your mansion's public funds; she can hold her head high and be a proper and dignified young lady.'
Old Madam Wen dabbed her tears with a silk handkerchief.
'Cheng Girl knows how to handle things, and she loves Yuanyuan deeply. In the end, that mother is far better than I am.'
Hailan said: 'My mistress predicted you would say that. She asked me to tell you that she was a mother for the first time. If she knows how to love her daughter, it's because she learned it from watching you love her when she was young. You are a very, very good mother.'
Old Madam Wen shook her head.
'I am truly ashamed. I owe Cheng Girl the most. Her illness came from the womb.'
Hailan comforted Old Madam Wen.
'But you have been a vegetarian all your life, praying to the gods for her long life. Even if the gods did not hear, my mistress understood your heartfelt intentions for her.'