At this point, Li Wanming suddenly remembered something. She grabbed Qinglan's arm and asked,
"I've wanted to ask you this for a while. Cousin Yingchu is good-looking, steady and reserved. She's also a protégée of the wife of the Duke of Qing in Cangshan Academy and has the reputation of being the most talented young lady in the capital. Why hasn't she been betrothed yet?"
Qinglan's hand paused slightly, and a hesitant look appeared on her face.
Seeing this, Li Wanming quickly said, "It's okay! It doesn't matter! If it's not convenient to talk about, you don't have to."
Although Qinglan was now by her side, she had once served the Princess of Ning, who always favored the second branch of the family. So, the people from the second branch could be considered her former masters to some extent.
Not gossiping about former masters was a basic virtue of a qualified maid.
"Why would it be inconvenient?"
Qinglan smiled. She asked Chuntao to take down the silver-red wide-sleeved imperial robe embroidered with the pattern of phoenixes passing through peonies from the clothes hanger and helped Li Wanming get up and dress.
"Now that I'm following the Princess of the Heir Apparent, of course, I'll put the Princess first. How could I hide anything from you? It's just that this matter involves a past incident of the eldest young lady. I need to think about how to tell you..."
Qinglan gently bit her lower lip. After thinking for a moment, she carefully said, "The eldest young lady once... had an acquaintance with a scholar. I heard he was good-looking and quite talented. They met at a poetry gathering and often composed poems in the plum grove later..."
"However, the scholar was from a poor family and not from a noble clan..."
"After Madam Kang heard about it, she naturally firmly opposed it."
"The eldest young lady is also a determined person. She had a big argument with Madam Kang and knelt in the ancestral hall for three days without eating or drinking... Later, Madam Kang got really angry and used some means to send the scholar far away to the northwest."
Li Wanming was shocked. Her eyes widened, and she couldn't react for a long time.
Xiao Yingchu?
A scholar?
Hunger strike?
Li Wanming didn't expect that Xiao Yingchu, who looked so gentle and weak, actually had such a soul-stirring and shocking past.
One really couldn't judge a book by its cover. She didn't expect that Xiao Yingchu would dare to resist Madam Kang...
"Two years ago, I heard that the scholar had married and had children there. He even sent a letter back, saying that he would never enter the capital again... The eldest young lady should have let it go by now."
Qinglan's voice was low. She lowered her eyes and tied the double-knot ribbon around Li Wanming's waist. "However, because of this delay, the eldest young lady's marriage was postponed. As she got older, it became even harder to find a good family."
Li Wanming sighed with emotion.
Although Xiao Yingchu's status was a bit awkward among the noble ladies, after all, she was from the Prince of Ning's Mansion. Originally, it shouldn't have been a problem for her to marry a decent and well - born young man from a noble family.
But this incident happened.
Although Madam Kang must have tried every means to cover it up and prevent the news from leaking out, in the capital, there were no real secrets.
Li Wanming didn't think this was a scandal at all, but she couldn't stop the gossips in these big mansions.
Xiao Yingchu's marriage might be difficult...
Just as they were talking, Nanny Song came in and reported that the carriages and luggage outside were all ready and they could set off.
Li Wanming put on her outer robe and, supported by Chuntao, slowly walked out of the room.
The sun in the alley always moved slowly. A few branches of pink and white apricot blossoms leaned out obliquely from the blue - brick wall. When the gentle east wind blew, they twirled and fell on the plaque of the Li Mansion.
In front of the main gate of the Li Mansion, Li Rusong was already standing there. No matter how the maids around him advised him that it was improper for a father to greet his daughter at the gate in person, he refused to go inside.
It wasn't until he saw Li Wanming getting off the carriage that he rushed forward in one stride, hugged his daughter tightly, and cried.
"My daughter, you're finally back! These few days you've been away felt like years... Your mother ignored me. My heart has been so cold..."
It turned out that these days, because of her wedding and the return - visit to her parents' home, Li Rusong and Yuan Jinqiu hadn't returned to the military camp on the outskirts of the capital but had been staying in the Li Mansion.
Li Rusong thought it would be good. He could take this opportunity to spend a few days like an ordinary couple in the capital with Yuan Jinqiu.
After all, the couple had been busy in the military camp all year round and rarely had the opportunity to enjoy a private moment together...
But who would have thought that Yuan Jinqiu's attitude towards him had become even colder, even more distant than when they were in the military camp.
In the military camp, they could still talk about military training and martial arts competitions. Although they were busy, they could still say a few words to each other every day.
But after returning to the Li Mansion, Yuan Jinqiu hardly said a word. No matter what he asked, she was always cold and indifferent, as if there was an invisible wall between them.
The more Li Rusong thought about it, the sadder he felt. He almost cried in his daughter's arms when she just came back.
When Qingyan heard what her general said was really inappropriate and the guests around had started to prick up their ears, showing curious expressions, she quickly stepped forward and whispered, "General, it's windy outside. Please invite the Princess of the Heir Apparent into the house first."
As she said this, she quietly blocked in front of Li Rusong to shield him from those inquisitive looks.
Only then did Li Rusong wipe away his tears and lead Li Wanming towards the main hall.
Along the way, he kept complaining in a low voice about how he had been ignored by Madam Yuan these days, acting just like a wronged child.
In the main hall, Li's grandmother was already sitting upright on the upper seat, and Yuan Jinqiu was sitting on her left, looking calm.
The maids had already prepared the cushions. Li Wanming stepped forward and knelt down. She first saluted her grandmother and then kowtowed to her parents.
Yuan Jinqiu carefully examined her daughter. Seeing that although she looked a bit haggard, she was dressed in luxurious clothes, behaved gracefully, and had an air of dignity between her eyebrows. Only then did the stone in her heart fall a little.
She naturally knew that Xiao Jingnan had been ordered to go on a military expedition on their wedding night. So, she had been worried these days, fearing that her daughter would be wronged in her husband's family.
Now that she saw with her own eyes that her daughter was still doing okay, she finally felt relieved.
"You..."
Madam Yuan had just said one word of her inquiry when Li's grandmother interrupted her. Her mouth drooped, and her tone was sharp. "When a newly - wed bride returns to her parents' home, it's always the couple who come back together. You're good. You came back alone! Where's your husband, the Heir Apparent? Could it be that he already dislikes you just after getting married?"
Here it comes again...
Li Wanming sighed helplessly in her heart.
Her grandmother seemed to have a sworn hatred for her and could never bear to see her happy.
"Replying to grandmother, my husband..."
Li Wanming rolled her eyes. Before she could finish her sentence, there was a "pop" sound, and a blue - and - white porcelain covered bowl was suddenly thrown to the ground!
The porcelain pieces flew everywhere, and the bowl lid was still spinning on the ground. It rolled all the way to Li Rusong's feet, startling him.
"I used to respect you as my mother and let you pick on and slander my three daughters! But now I've figured it out. Even if we should treat others with courtesy, we have to see if that person deserves it!"
Madam Yuan suddenly stood up. Her cold and sharp eyes emitted an indescribable chill.