Chapter 984: Chapter 982: There’s Important Business to Handle
Maternal Aunt Liu’s current spirit is not well, she is agitated by Ye Xinyan’s continuous words, her entire focus is on Ye Xinyan and Jiang Yifan.
Listening to Ye Xinyan’s words, Maternal Aunt Liu is heartbroken, almost losing her mind from the pain, unable to notice other people entering the room.
Seeing her three children now, each looking at her with complex expressions, and remembering Ye Xinyan’s previous words, Maternal Aunt Liu feels ashamed and regretful. If she hadn’t coveted Duke An’s title, dreaming of the honor of being Duke An’s mother, maybe her children could really live in wealth and nobility all their lives.
At this moment, Maternal Aunt Liu even thinks, perhaps if she had sent her two sons to train in the military camp with Duke An’s subordinates earlier, it would be better than the current situation of achieving nothing.
Unfortunately, there is no medicine for regret in this world, and back then she was certain she could become the Old Madam of the Duke’s Mansion, so she hoped for something greater, not being a blundering military general, but an Old Madam of a scholarly family revered by the world.
In the end, she gained nothing, even early on sacrificing her own life and her children’s lifetime of prosperity.
Ye Xinyi and her brothers remained frozen in place, exchanging nervous glances with Maternal Aunt Liu for quite some time, until Jiang Yifan held Ye Xinyan’s hand and calmly said to Ye Heng and Ye Yi, “Regardless of Maternal Aunt Liu’s motives, her endless greed not only trapped her but also severed any future for you three siblings. You all must take care of yourselves in the future.”
Jiang Yifan’s tone was mild, but when his gaze swept over Ye Xinyi, it carried a sharp coldness that startled Ye Xinyi into a shiver.
“Let’s go,” said Jiang Yifan, leading Ye Xinyan past Ye Xinyi and her brothers.
Behind them, Lian Gui bowed to the three and also withdrew.
After Ye Xinyan left, Maternal Aunt Liu spent another day under the care of her three children, whose thoughts were each different.
On the night of the twenty-ninth day of the twelfth lunar month, Maternal Aunt Liu took her last breath amidst bitterness, remorse, and unwillingness.
Since Maternal Aunt Liu fell ill until there was no cure, Ye Hongyang came only once. He stood for quite a while outside the partition of the side room where Maternal Aunt Liu was, saying a lot of words. When he got to the painful parts, he even cried uncontrollably. However, he could not muster the courage to look at Maternal Aunt Liu even once.
Listening to Ye Hongyang’s tearful recount, Maternal Aunt Liu’s eyes were lifeless, without even the strength to let out a heavier sigh, having her spirit completely crushed.
As the New Year approached, the death of a confined concubine did not stir any waves in the Duke’s Mansion. The servants, afraid that the deceased would affect the New Year festivities, hastily prepared a coffin for Maternal Aunt Liu and took it out for burial overnight.
On the morning of New Year’s Eve, the entire Duke’s Mansion was bustling with joy, pasting couplets, window decorations, and changing lanterns, filled with festivity. Especially Ye Yuan, dressed in new garments embroidered with auspicious red characters, pulling the two Qi family brothers along to run around the courtyard.
On the second day of the New Year, Ye Xinyan returned to Duke An’s Mansion to visit her grandparents. In the Duchess’s chamber, she again encountered Ye Xinyi.
Although Maternal Aunt Liu was Ye Xinyi’s biological mother, she was just a servant, and with the Duchess being elderly and unable to tolerate inauspicious matters during the New Year, naturally, she preferred all the younger generation to wear festive attire.
Hence, Ye Xinyi’s clothing was no exception, a whole body of purple-red Hang silk, embroidered with silver-white intertwining peonies. Under the backdrop of the white peony flowers and the lush intertwined branches, the purple-red base was not very obvious.
Ye Xinyan suspected that Ye Xinyi hastily made this outfit upon learning that Maternal Aunt Liu couldn’t make it.
……
During the ten-plus days of the New Year, Ye Xinyan only visited Duke An’s Mansion, the Qi family, and Marquis Zhongyong’s Mansion. As for those festival activities, visiting temple fairs, and watching lanterns on the fifteenth day of the first month, to Ye Xinyan, they were already like fleeting clouds, with no chance to partake in them.
Especially Madam Yin, upon learning that she had visited the dying Maternal Aunt Liu before the New Year, chided her harshly, disregarding her pregnancy, and even Jiang Yifan wasn’t spared.
In Madam Yin’s opinion, no matter how hateful Maternal Aunt Liu was, it was unnecessary for her pregnant daughter to get involved with such ominous things.
On the sixteenth day of the first month, Guangsha Construction resumed work on schedule, continuing to prefabricate materials for the projects to start in spring within the workshop.
In previous years, craftsmen who had always rested until after spring began to trickle into Guangsha Construction’s store, inquiring about job opportunities. Some even asked acquaintances to speak on their behalf to find work at Guangsha Construction.
In the current situation, Guangsha Construction does not require many craftsmen. However, Yuan Shang, considering future needs, kept the contacts of some skilled craftsmen, promising to notify them if Guangsha Construction needed workers.
……
Time quietly passed by, with the weather gradually warming. By mid-February, Shi Yin and Wong Qiao, along with craftsmen from Peach Grove Mechanical Workshop and some mechanical equipment, returned to the capital.
At the end of the Si Hour this day, a convoy of more than twenty horse-drawn carriages and a dozen horse-mounted guards made their way along the official road toward the city gate from the western gate of the capital.
Before reaching the city gate, several groups of people had already ridden forward to welcome them.
Zhou Shuyu, the elder brother of Zhou Biyao, was the first to rush ahead with servants, heading towards the carriage beside Wong Qiao. He first snorted angrily at Wong Qiao before dismounting and said towards the inside of the carriage, “Biyao, was your journey alright? Second Brother is here to bring you home.”
The curtain was lifted, revealing the slightly round face of Zhou Biyao.
Zhou Biyao was all smiles, “Second Brother, why have you personally come? How are our parents’ health?”
Zhou Shuyu feigned a snort, “Alright, they haven’t been angered to death by you.”
At this moment, Wong Qiao had also dismounted, and he cupped his hands in greeting, “Greetings, brother, it’s troubling you to personally come out, I truly feel humbled.”
Zhou Shuyu raised his chin proudly, “I’m not here to pick you up; what are you humbled for?”
Zhou Biyao pouted, getting upset immediately, “Second Brother, I just got back, why are you acting like this? If so, I won’t return, I’ll go home with Ah Qiao.”
Beside them, Steward Cui Cheng from Jiang Yifan’s household and Yuan Shang stepped forward to greet Zhou Shuyu. Cui Cheng smilingly said, “Greetings, Second Master Zhou. I’ve been instructed by my master to bring Steward Wong’s couple over to our residence; our lady has already prepared accommodation.”
Yuan Shang also interjected, “Second Master Zhou, my old master instructed that if it’s convenient, Steward Wong should stay at my old master’s residence since they’re used to living at the Qi Mansion.”
Standing behind them was another person, whom Zhou Shuyu recognized as someone from Prince Yu’s faction.
Zhou Shuyu hesitated a bit; although these individuals were servants, they’re well-regarded, and even his father, Zhou Bingyi, would have to give them some face.
“Sorry to the two stewards, I’ve come under my parents’ orders to temporarily bring my sister back to stay. My father instructed that my brother-in-law has matters to attend to and must return to the residence tonight after his business; mother has prepared dinner and lodging. Please excuse us; I’ll take Biyao back to the residence now.”
Zhou Shuyu rather reluctantly cupped his hands toward the others, taking Zhou Biyao’s carriages and departing first.
Behind, Yuan Shang was already greeting Shi Yin and the accompanying craftsmen, laughing and chatting casually.