老太君 laotaijun – old madam (lord), a titlehistorical

表姐 biaojie – older female cousin from mother’s side; cousin (big) sister

孙小姐 sun xiaojie – young miss, granddaughter; the sun is pronounced like soon, but with a short oo sound

外孙女 wai sunnü – maternal granddaughter; the sun is pronounced like soon, but with a short oo sound

祖母 zumu – grandmother

A carriage had earlier been prepared at the gateway to the xiangfu. Yun Qian Meng got off the sedan chair and directly got on the carriage. Na mama originally wanted to take her own litter back to her fu, but couldn’t resist Mi mama’s cordial invitations, and apologetically took a seat in the carriage as well!

On the road, Yun Qian Meng inquired about laotaijun and the others’ health. Na mama also smiled and answered her one by one. The distance between the two fu was not that long, no more than ten minutes later, they had arrived at Fu Guo Gong Fu!

As Na mama had earlier sent a young manservant to run back to the fu to report, when Yun Qian Meng got off the carriage, the main gates of Fu Guo Gong Fu were already opened wide; da jiumu Ji Shu Yu and biaojie Qu Fei Qing had been waiting for them for a while!

Looking at this, Yun Qian Meng immediately stepped forward. Facing the both of them to pay her full respects, she softly said, “Meng’er greets jiumu, greets biaojie!”

When Ji Shu Yu saw Yun Qian Meng arrive, her heart was naturally delighted. She immediately held out a hand to help her up, then lightly smiled, saying, “We’re all family, why the need to be so polite? laotaijun heard that you were coming, already sent people over to ask a few times!”

Yun Qian Meng just wanted to apologize when her right arm was hugged by someone. Slightly inclining her head, she only saw her biaojie who had been lovably standing beside Ji Shu Yu was not intimately pulling her up, incidentally leading her into Fu Guo Gong Fu!

“Meng’er meimei, we really haven’t met for many years! Every time there’s a festival, it’s always your shu mei that takes part, so meaningless! Seeing you here today, I feel so much happier!”

Yun Qian Meng saw the young lady beside her had bright eyes and white teeth; her eyes that were gentle like water were very similar to jiumu Ji Shu Yu’s; then seeing that she treated her with such intimacy, her heart immediately had a favorable impression of Qu Fei Qing. She smiled to answer, “In the past, Meng’er was not sensible, distanced myself from Fu Guo Gong Fu! In the future, meimei will definitely contact jiejie more often, only hope that jiejie won’t find it annoying!”

“Never, never! If you can come, then I’ll naturally be happy!” Hearing Yun Qian Meng’s charming words, Qu Fei Qing immediately widened her smile, her slightly narrowed eyes flashed brightly, as her cheeks slightly reddened; the vitality of a young lady in full display!

Ji Shu Yu saw them both interact happily, her heart was also filled with delight. All three of them got onto separate sedan chairs and directly went to laotaijun’s Rui Lin Yuan!

Earlier when Yun Qian Meng had just stepped out of the xiangfu, Gu laotaijun had already received the news and immediately ordered the servants in the room to prepare, making sure to properly welcome her young granddaughter that had never come to Fu Guo Gong Fu for so many years!

As a result, when Yun Qian Meng was helped off the sedan chair by Mi mama, the spot before the main room of Rui Lin Yuan was filled with servants!

When they saw this young miss who had yet to wear a veil alight, they immediately orderly bowed facing Yun Qian Meng, speaking in unison, “nubi greets sun xiaojie!”

Yun Qian Meng saw the parade and understood that she was a part of Gu laotaijun’s heart. Then, noticing Ji Shu Yu and Qu Fei Qing were smiling from ear to ear, she said with calm confidence, “It’s been hard on everyone!”

Everyone heard Yun Qian Meng’s response that was neither servile nor overbearing, and couldn’t help but feel some admiration towards this young miss grow in their hearts!

“Has sun xiaojie arrived? laotaijun has been expecting this for a long time!” At this moment, a mama in her fifties walked out from the room. They only saw that her face was full of smiles, especially at Yun Qian Meng, her smiling eyes couldn’t help but release a radiance full of astonishment and praise. Immediately stepping forth, she said, “nubi Ning mama greets sun xiaojie, laotaijun invites you to go in!”

Yun Qian Meng saw that although she was a servant, her expression was hiding a lofty and unyielding character; thus, she knew that she was the trusted aide of laotaijun, and immediately answered with a smile, “Sorry for troubling mama to lead the way!”

The few of them just stepped into the main room when they heard an inquiring voice filled with dignity from inside, “Has Meng yatou arrived?”

When Yun Qian Meng heard this, she immediately hurried her steps and passed through a few layers of the thick door curtains to arrive in the warm room. She only saw the main seat of the warm room was seating an old lady that was wearing a dark-red, buttoned jacket and an overcoat with sides that were gilded with gold. Seeing Yun Qian Meng enter, that old lady stood up emotionally from her rosewood chair, unexpectedly mumbling to herself, “Ruo Li....”

Ning mama saw that Gu laotaijun was so single-mindedly staring at Yun Qian Meng, and also carefully examined Yun Qian Meng once again, praising, “sun xiaojie has really grown up to be natural and magnanimous, showing more and more of the graceful bearing of our er xiaojie from those days!”

Yet Yun Qian Meng just strode forward to stop before Gu laotaijun, then heavily kneeled on the floor, tearfully speaking, “wai sunnü pays respects to wai zumu, wai sunnü is unfilial, zumu please punish!”

Seeing Yun Qian Meng like this, Gu laotaijun’s eyes warmed, immediately raised her up. Seeing that she was just as Ning mama said, increasingly resembling her second daughter, Qu Ruo Li, her heart felt immense sadness, and, ignoring the difference in status, she pulled Yun Qian Meng into her embrace and wept, “My child, you’ve suffered! Why didn’t you come see zumu earlier?”

The servants in the room that were looking at the situation couldn’t stop themselves from tearing up. The whole room was momentarily filled with just the soft noises of weeping....

When Ji Shu Yu saw this, her eyes also filled up with tears, but she still kept her smile and walked forward to console Gu laotaijun, “laotaijun, today is a happy day, you shouldn’t shed tears!”

And Qu Fei Qing also immediately stepped forward and hugged laotaijun coquettishly , naughtily saying, “zumu, now that Yun meimei has come, this granddaughter is no longer in your eyes!”

Looking at Qu Fei Qing’s rascally appearance, Gu laotaijun suddenly turned her tears into laughter. Releasing Yun Qian Meng from her embrace, she pulled her over to sit together on the chair just now, and carefully examined Yun Qian Meng once more. Seeing that nowadays, her face was rosy, her complexion fabulous, she slightly released the worry in her heart. Only, her heart still felt some sorrow, “If Ruo Li was still alive, you wouldn’t have to face so many hardships! This time, the matter of Chen Wang breaking off the engagement, has really wronged you; yet there is still such a useless dad!”

Yun Qian Meng saw that Gu laotaijun was criticizing the current prime minister in public just for her, and knew that laotaijun was truly sincere to her, so she spread her smile and gently said, “Don’t be angry, zumu! Meng’er has zumu, jiumu, and biaojie’s love, is already blessed. zumu, please don’t worry about Meng’er!”

As she spoke, Mi mama presented the earlier prepared snow ginseng, deferentially saying, “laotaijun, this was prepared by xiaojie, wishing that laotaijun’s happiness will be as immense as the East Sea and that you live as long as the Zhongnan Mountains!”

laotaijun saw that Yun Qian Meng was now unexpectedly so thoughtful and considerate, her style of conversation was generous and appropriate, a satisfied expression floated in her eyes, but still feigned anger and retorted, “Silly child, zumu doesn’t lack in anything! You bring it back to use for yourself, if not enough, then send someone to inform your jiumu. Our Fu Guo Gong Fu’s sun xiaojie, is supposed to be a pearl in the palm!”

Yun Qian Meng knew that laotaijun was sincerely rejecting her gifts, but this was also her true feelings of filial piety, so she gently smiled and said, “These years, zumu has been broken-hearted because of this granddaughter; just treat this as an act of piety by this granddaughter, I beg zumu not to reject it!”

laotaijun saw that she was resolute, and was also gratified with how educated and well-balanced today’s Yun Qian Meng was, so she smiled and let Ning mama accept the snow ginseng. One big family, after Qu Ruo Li had passed away for ten years, finally had the opportunity to sit down and reminisce, they all momentarily forgot about the passing of time; until everyone noticed that laotaijun was beginning to grow weary, Yun Qian Meng just finally reluctantly said her farewells to laotaijun....

Stepping out of Rui Lin Yuan, Ji Shu Yu sent away the unwilling to leave Qu Fei Qing, then brought Yun Qian Meng to her own courtyard. When only the two of them were left in the room, she finally asked, “Meng’er coming here at this time, should not just be to visit laotaijun, right?”

Yun Qian Meng saw that Ji Shu Yu might seem delicate, but had unusually good insight, so she didn’t beat around the bush, and recounted everything that had happened yesterday in detail before she asked, “jiumu, Meng’er doesn’t have anyone to rely on in the xiangfu, and can only seek aid from Fu Guo Gong Fu!”

Ji Shu Yu didn’t expect that the situation in the xiangfu had already undergone changes, after pondering in her heart, and noticing that Yun Qian Meng’s eyes concealed a farsighted wisdom that could not be overlooked, she smiled and replied, “Good girl, you must have thought of a plan! Tell me, is there anything you need that jiumu can help with?”

Being told this by Ji Shu Yu, Yun Qian Meng coquettishly hugged her left arm, then smoothly leaned towards Ji Shu Yu’s ear, and detailed the plan she had already thought up in a low voice....