Chapter 181 Why Would She Get Sick?
Then attending the banquet held by Duke Xing’s Mansion had been settled. Because this time Duke Xing’s Mansion not only sent the invitation card again but also let a nanny come to Qin’s Mansion and invite them sincerely, Qin Huaiyong and Old Grandma had to agree.
Duke Xing’s Mansion was not better than Duke Yong’s Mansion now. Although the current Duke Xing had accomplished nothing, the last two Duke Xing were the emperor’s important councilors.
Madam Di would not attend the banquet while Shui Ruolan would go in that she wasn’t so obviously pregnant now. Qin Huaiyong and Old Grandma discussed and then decided to let Shui Ruolan take Qin Yuru and Qin Wanru to the banquet. By the way, they had to take Qi Rongzhi for she had met the nanny from Duke Xing’s Mansion and even talked to her before.
This time was an official debut of two ladies of Qin’s Mansion. Therefore, Old Grandma really paid attention to it. She even asked her servants to invite two nannies who taught manners and let them train two ladies intensively about the banquet manners. Although it was not for them to show up together in an outstanding way in their debut in the capital city, they had to behave themselves well and let others think that they had a close sisterhood.
Just like Qin Huaiyong, Old Grandma now was also disappointed at Qin Yuru. However, she was the natural daughter of Qin Huaiyong so they could not just let her go but train her well.
Old Grandma was very satisfied with Nanny Huang who would teach Qin Yuru. After talking to two ladies, Old Grandma even allowed them not to extend greetings to her during these days but let them acquire good manners in their own court.
Finding that Qin Yuru and Qin Wanru now were acquiring manners from their etiquette teaching nannies, Qi Rongzhi also wanted an etiquette teaching nanny. Then she told Old Grandma that she wanted to learn with Qin Yuru and hoped that Nanny Huang could also teach her while teaching Qin Yuru. If it was not convenient, she could learn by herself beside by watching.
Since she said so, Old Grandma could not let her stand aside so she asked her servant to bring Qi Rongzhi to Qin Yuru’s court and let Nanny Huang teach them together.
Several days passed quickly. Masters in Qin’s Mansion got up very early, including Old Grandma. Seeing her two grandchildren dress well, she smiled and was satisfied with their dresses which showed their close sisterhood.
Qin Yuru wore a light blue chiffon top and an eight-petal gradient light purple long dress with a beautiful belt circling her waist. She pinned her black hair up with an upturned hair clasp of which there were three strands of beads down at the end. The beads were glittering and translucent, making her face looked really pretty and charming.
Qi Rongzhi was in light yellow today. Her pleated dress was with finely scattering silver lace. There were pearls stitched at the bottom of her dress, which made her dress looked proper and beautiful. As the wind passing by, her hem was blown up slightly, which looked fantastically wonderful. Today she looked very charming and mature. Although she now was only thirteen years old, she looked like a fifteen- or sixteen-year-old girl. Standing beside Qin Yuru, Qi Rongzhi was much like Qin Yuru’s sister.
Qin Wanru’s style was different from them. She wore a pale pink coat and a dress with the color gradually changed from pale pink to light white. She was not tall and looked small. She gathered her black hair up in two buns with two hair clasps on which there were two butterflies. With the two hair clasps in her black hair, she looked much more elegant and attractive.
Seeing they dress well, Old Grandma nodded with satisfaction and then told them what they should focus on. After that, she let Shui Ruolan take them leave.
“Are their embroidery patterns the same?” “Why do they look so familiar?” After they left, Old Grandma murmured confusedly.
“I also felt that but I didn’t recognize them. However, although their embroidery patterns are similar, they still are different patterns. The embroidery room might design them according to three ladies’ characters,” answered Nanny Duan smilingly.
“It might be!” Old Grandma chuckled and thought it might be the most possible answer.
Their dresses were newly made. Qi Rongzhi’s dress was even made by Qin’s embroidery room. Therefore, it was possible that their dress looked similar. What was more, it looked better. They dressed in similar dresses, which would make other people think that Qin Wanru and Qin Yuru were in a close sisterhood and they also were on good terms with Qi Rongzhi.
Now there were some gossips about Madam Di and Qin Yuru which sounded bad. Nanny Duan had told Old Grandma privately for several times. Now they took this opportunity to show a close sisterhood in Qin’s Mansion to the public and to show that they didn’t fight against each other and weren’t badly battered by each other.
There were two carriages prepared. Qin Wanru, of course, would take one carriage with Shui Ruolan while Qin Yuru and Qi Rongzhi took the latter one.
After they all got on the carriages, the carriages started to move slowly one by one. Then they left Qin’s Mansion and drove towards Duke Xing’s Mansion.
Duke Xing’s Mansion was located in the real central part of the capital city, far away from Qin’s Mansion. Although the houses of Qin’s Mansion which were left by their ancestors were also good, they were located in the periphery of the capital city. During their journey, they had passed through several busy streets.
Qin Wanru asked Yujie to drop the screen window and then looked out the windows earnestly.
“Wanru!” Shui Ruolan watched Qin Wanru. It seemed that she wished to speak but stopped on a second thought.
“Mother?” Qin Wanru turned around and asked with a bright smile.
“Don’t run about in the Duke Xing’s Mansion then!” said Shui Ruolan softly. Duke Xing’s Mansion sent the invitation card again and again, which made her anxious. They were not a very important family but Duke Xing’s Mansion took them very seriously.
“Mother, I am fine but you have to be careful in case someone would rush to you!” Qin Wanru knew what Shui Ruolan was worrying about and she said smilingly.
This time, Qin Wanru especially asked Old Grandma to let two strong old maids be with Shui Ruolan in case of any accident.
“I know. I would go nowhere at that time but talk to those madams in the room.” Before coming, Shui Ruolan had thought clearly about what she should do next. She was to take Qin Yuru and her sister to here to accomplish their debut, showing that there was a madam of Qin’s Mansion being with them. Otherwise, it would be impolite for two girls to attend the banquet for the first time.
“Mother, if someone asks about Madam Di, how would you answer?” asked Qin Wanru smilingly. She was sure that there must be someone would ask this question so she wanted to let Shui Ruolan prepare in advance.
Hearing this question, Shui Ruolan said nothing. Thinking for a while, she said, “Madam Di is sick!”
“Why?” Qin Wanru smiled and continued to asked.
“Being unaccustomed to the climate here!” Shui Ruolan laughed.
Hearing her answer, Qin Wanru also could not help laughing. They couldn’t tell others about Madam Di’s injury. Otherwise, should they tell the public that Madam Di had a fight with Qin Huaiyong but ended in her injury or should they tell the public that Madam Di was poured the hot potion not only on her hand but also her face?
Although this excuse was very funny, Madam Di was the truly funniest one. Even if people of Duke Yong’s Mansion attended the banquet, they would not argue.
“Mother, if they want to ask about you, then how would you answer?” Qin Wanru asked as she reached out and held Shui Ruolan’s hand.
Shui Ruolan had a marriage before and then became a widow. These stories would not be a secret in that Madam Di would definitely tell the public about these things.
“They would not ask about that in my presence, would they?” As Shui Ruolan’s smile disappeared, she hesitated.
“Mother, I think the answer is yes.” Qin Wanru looked at Shui Ruolan seriously. There were always somethings that they could not escape and there must be someone pick this up and ask them about this embarrassing question. They could not deal with this by escaping. Qin Wanru didn’t want to see Shui Ruolan being looked down upon when she tried to build a relationship with those madams from aristocrat families in the capital city.
Since Madam Di would not come this time, this would be the best chance!
Shui Ruolan set her eyes on Qin Wanru. Her expression on her little and attractive face became strained, which made Qin Wanru look like an adult. However, her white and soft skin and her red lips showed that she was only a child. However, this girl always worried about Shui Ruolan.
“Wanru, don’t worry. I would not care about that even though they would discuss these stories in front of me!” said Shui Ruolan softly. She was not stupid. She touched Qin Wanru’s hair on the temples gently and thought that at the very least, she was an adult anyway.
“Mother, let me be with you!” Qin Wanru quickly rolled her eyes and said with a pun.
“It doesn’t matter! You could enjoy the banquet then!” Shui Ruolan smiled powerlessly. “How would this girl be so worried? Now she is at an age at which she would like playing. It would restrain her nature when letting her be with me. Although I do worry about her, I could not confine her.”
“Mother, I would go nowhere to play. Just let my elder sister and lady Qi enjoy the banquet. They look much more like sisters than me.” Qin Wanru meant it. When they got on the carriage, Qin Yuru and Qi Rongzhi gave precedence to each other. Those who knew nothing about the truth would think they were sisters when seeing that scene.
“Then you follow me!” In fact, Shui Ruolan also felt anxious about Qin Wanru. Thus she thought for a while and agreed. She felt confused about the reason that Duke Xing’s Mansion kept sending the invitation card to Qin Wanru. She once talked to Old Grandma but as she was not sure whether it was a common practice in the capital city, she could not deduce the true meaning of Duke Xing’s Mansion at once.
If they did appreciate her, and did take this girl very seriously, they could just come to Qin’s Mansion and thank her directly. Why would they keep inviting Wanru and show their great appreciation?
Shui Ruolan felt in her bone that since Duke Xing’s Mansion sent the invitation card again and again, they would not let Wanru be silent but would make her the heroine of the banquet today. Looking at the little face in front of her, Shui Ruolan frowned. “She is only a child. Would it be appropriate for her to show up in an outstanding way in the banquet?”
“I have to plan step by step and I must take good care of this girl!” Shui Ruolan had made up her mind secretly!
Not until they arrived at the Duke Xing’s Mansion was the road blocked up. In front of their carriages, there were many other carriages moving slowly among the throng. It could obviously tell that there were many people who would attend Duke Xing’s Mansion’s banquet. According to this scene, it seemed that all aristocrat families in the capital city attended.
Duke Xing’s Mansion was as thriving as the one in Qin Wanru’s last life. Even though it didn’t belong to royal family, no other family could be comparable to it.
The carriage followed the front one and moved slowly. There were many carriages as far as the eyes could see. Qin Wanru put down the carriage curtain which was picked up a little bit and wanted to say something while suddenly she heard someone asking, “Does this carriage belong to Qin’s Mansion which just moved from Jiangzhou to the capital city?”