Chapter 179: 178: Visitors from Maternal Grandparents' House

Words : 1537 Updated : Sep 21st, 2025

Chapter 179: Chapter 178: Visitors from Maternal Grandparents’ House Qin Liuxi walked into the courtyard through the side gate, and Qi Huang, who was sewing her undergarments, stood up. After performing a curtsy, she said, “My lady, you have returned. We have guests at home.” “Hmm? What kind of guests?” “It’s people from Madam’s maternal home, it seems to be the Housekeeper close to Madam’s mother.” Qin Liuxi thought for a moment before she said, “Prepare a wash for me. I will go and have a look.” As visitors arrived from her legitimate mother’s maternal home, and they were people close to her nominal grandmother, she indeed should make an appearance. She just didn’t know what kind of attitude the Wang family, her ‘maternal home,’ would have now that the Qin family had fallen from grace. Mrs. Wang was receiving the visitor from her mother’s side. The visitor was several years her senior and had also risen from a Chief Maid to a Housekeeping Lady, married to another Steward from the same mansion, known as Zhang Quan’s Family. “In the blink of an eye, so many years have passed. It has been a long time since I saw you, Lady, and to see you again now... alas, things remain, but people change,” Mrs. Zhang Quan, with her hair twisted into a low bun adorned with a silver hairpin and a gold hairpin, and wearing two small gold earrings, was dressed in a horse-faced skirt, looking decent and clean. She was a few years older than Mrs. Wang and used to look at her as if looking at a younger sister. Now, seeing her fallen from grace into the mud, dressed in plain cloth, with only a jade hairpin in her hair, and accompanied by just one old nanny, it would have been false to say that it didn’t sadden her heart. People see the wealth behind the red gates but do not realize that wealth and calamity come hand in hand. The splendid blossoms and brocades collapsing overnight is nothing out of the ordinary. Just like the Qin family now, fallen so swiftly, without even giving anyone a chance to catch their breath. Mrs. Wang smiled faintly, “It is a blessing, not a disaster; if it’s a disaster, it cannot be avoided. Given the situation, all we can do is accept it no matter how tough it is.” “The Lady received the letter and immediately fainted. It’s fine if the adults endure, but my elder nephew is so young, and to encounter such an event, isn’t that such a coincidence!” Zhang Quan’s Family said. Mrs. Wang, feeling a sourness in her heart, wiped the corner of her eyes and said, “I made mother worry; it is indeed my fault. Before you came, were my parents in good health?” “Master and Madam are both well; you shouldn’t worry about it. Just take good care of yourself, that’s what matters most, after all, the elder nephew only has you as a mother.” Zhang Quan’s Family spoke in a gentle voice, “You don’t need to worry about the elder nephew either. The Master and Madam have already sent someone from our household to help out, so a letter should be on its way soon.” Upon hearing this, Mrs. Wang felt deeply relieved. Having her maternal home’s support was both a source of strength and a comfort to her. But the Wang family wasn’t only concerned with her; her mother doted on her, which is why she did this much. However, she couldn’t focus solely on her, after all, there were also grandchildren and daughters-in-law. Thinking of this, Mrs. Wang said, “Are these efforts by mother and the others troublesome for them?” Zhang Quan’s Family was silent. Seeing this, Mrs. Wang continued, “Sister Hong, you must not hide anything from me. Otherwise, I’ll have one more thing to worry about, and it will only make my nights restless as my thoughts wander.” Hearing her say this, Mrs. Zhang sighed and said, “When faced with such matters, naturally, there’s plenty of talk. The Wangs are a prominent family with strict rules, and there’s nothing to fear, but there will always be some who gossip. But this isn’t a big deal. How many girls has the Wang family married off? In all these years, hasn’t there been any other girls who have experienced such events?” Of course, there have been; daughters are married off, who can guarantee perpetual wealth in their husband’s family? Fortune and disaster are always intertwined; that is indeed true. “The fifth concubine of the Qin family has used some flattering words, which made the Old Grand Dowager unhappy to hear, resulted in some dissatisfaction towards the Lady, and consequently, other people also began to keep their distance from our household,” Mrs. Zhang Quan observed her grim expression and added, “But you shouldn’t take it to heart. Where could you not encounter these flatterers? In the past, they cozied up to the Lady because the Qin family had a third-rank official. Now that the Qin family has declined, they keep their distance—nothing but fair-weather friends.” “The Lady said the same thing. This incident has made it clear who is really loyal and who should be kept at a distance,” Mrs. Zhang Quan continued, “So, don’t take it too seriously, they are just insignificant people after all.” Mrs. Wang nodded, “Our room, the fourth concubine’s room, was not particularly favored by the Old Grand Dowager either. It was only after my father-in-law was promoted to a third-rank official that we received better treatment. Now, it seems,” it was nothing more than that. “Exactly,” “I don’t care about those people, but what about Pingzhi and his brothers in the other rooms?” What Mrs. Wang cared about was the attitude of her sisters-in-law and younger siblings towards their mother. “There is bound to be some unhappiness, but the Qin family’s predicament hasn’t led to the punishment of the nine tribes. Only the men have been exiled, and the women just sent back to their original homes, so we can’t say it’s an unspeakable or untouchable issue, and everyone still goes about their daily lives. Rest assured, the Lady is in good health, and she can keep them in check,” Mrs. Zhang Quan said. Mrs. Wang sighed again, “I have been unfilial, causing my mother to suffer in her old age because of me!” “If the Lady heard you say that, she would be heartbroken. You were always her favorite when you were in the inner chambers. It was hard for both of you to meet after you married off, and she missed you even more. Now that this misfortune has occurred in her middle age, she has blamed herself more than once for agreeing to your distant marriage. So, don’t talk like that anymore, it’s all fate,” said Mrs. Zhang Quan. Mrs. Wang dabbed at the corners of her eyes. Nanny Shen reported at the door, “My Lady, the eldest miss has come to pay her respects.” “Is Xixi back? Have her come in,” Mrs. Wang stood up quickly. Mrs. Zhang Quan, surprised by her attitude, also stood up. The eldest miss, was she the child who was registered under the name of the Lady as the legitimate eldest daughter? Qin Liuxi entered beneath the lifted curtain held by Nanny Shen, and seeing Mrs. Wang standing, she gracefully curtsied, “Mother, I pay my respects.” “You’re back just in time. Your maternal family sent someone to send their regards. This is the Housekeeper from your grandmother’s side, call her Mrs. Zhang,” Mrs. Wang introduced Mrs. Zhang Quan. Qin Liuxi gave a half-curtsey, “Mrs. Zhang.” Mrs. Zhang Quan looked at her slim and tall figure, her facial features slightly stern, and her temperament pure and transcendent, with particularly bright and penetrating eyes, as if she could see straight into one’s heart. Mrs. Zhang Quan involuntarily bent forward, not daring to accept her curtsey, took two steps forward, knelt and greeted, “Eldest miss, you humble your servant greatly, this servant, Mrs. Zhang Quan, pays her respects to you.” “No need for such formalities, you are grandmother’s favored servant, please sit and talk,” Qin Liuxi said with a smile, gesturing with her hand. Mrs. Zhang Quan uttered an ‘okay’, and after she saw Qin Liuxi sit down with Mrs. Wang, she sat down at the edge of an embroidery stool, looking at the two and secretly marveling. She knew Qin Liuxi was registered under Mrs. Wang’s name and had been sent back to the old house to be raised. Logically, the two should have not seen each other for ten years and were not blood-related, but their interactions were harmonious, almost like that of a real mother and daughter. Mrs. Zhang Quan was well aware of the nature of her Lady; likes and dislikes could be discerned from subtle expressions and glances. At the moment, Mrs. Wang looked at Qin Liuxi with genuine delight, not feigned, truly a joyous look. What was going on?

Chapter 179: 178: Visitors from Maternal Grandparents' House

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