A good omen for a good person

  Running errands was a trivial matter for Zhengyuan, and afterwards, she would go to the young masters and mistresses to offer her services. The task of delivering clothes was also handed over to other little maids in Zhengyuan, and she only needed to report some special situations to her superiors, which was considered the end of her task. As for Han Niang and Jin Fenghua, Xianyi would occasionally think of them, but they were soon forgotten, anyway, there wouldn't be much intersection with them in the future.

  After a few more days, neither the eldest young master nor the second young master returned to the government school as usual. Xian Yi was still secretly puzzled when she was informed by her mother that Eldest Miss Jin Qiaoling was coming back home. As the first child of Madame and Master, although she wasn't a boy, parents always have a special feeling towards their firstborn. Moreover, Jin Qiaoling was the eldest and had married into another family. Not only was Madame busy with preparations, but even Old Madam, who never got along with Madame, sent someone to pass on the message for Eldest Miss to return home and go to her courtyard first, so that she could have a good talk with her grandson.

  The big girl's carriage arrived near noon, and the servants of the Yuanwai Langfu had been waiting outside early. Seeing the big girl's carriage coming from afar, they hurriedly ran back to the backyard to inform the already restless and anxious Mrs. Yu. At first, Mrs. Yu let out a sigh of relief and smiled while chatting with Chen Ayi for a couple of sentences. However, as time passed, she seemed to feel that it was taking too long, so even for the sake of her seniority, Mrs. Yu still stood up and looked outside the door. Later, she even brought Ayi and the other maidservants to stand at the entrance of the main house, gazing in the direction of the front gate. Xianyi's status was low, and she didn't bother to join in on the excitement, so she quietly followed behind the second-ranking maid with her head lowered. But who knew that even though she wanted to avoid the commotion, there were still people who wouldn't let her off.

  "How did you end up standing here?" The speaker had a rich expression, with a head of black hair tied into a bun, adorned with golden pins, and small eyes that seemed kind but were actually narrow. Xian Yi had been in this main courtyard for many years and wouldn't be deceived by her gentle appearance. This person was on the same level as Chen Yao Yao, one of the top-ranking ladies-in-waiting, Zeng Shi. However, Zeng Shi was a dowry maid sent by the wife of the master's father, not his mother. The fact that she was an "inherited" lady-in-waiting already indicated that the master's father was not born to this grandmother. As a result, although Zeng Shi led the first-ranking ladies-in-waiting and received their monthly allowance, she could never gain favor in front of the wife, almost being suppressed by Chen Yao Yao every day. Her emotions were imaginable.

  Xian Yi knew she wasn't a good person, but couldn't just put on an expression, so she smiled and said: "The madam hasn't summoned me, naturally I'll stand here."

  Zeng Yiniang raised her head and found that Chen Yiniang was talking to the madam, but no one noticed them, even though there were a few third-class maids peeking around, they all hid aside.

  "Your mother is really something, lucky for you that you're her own daughter, yet she's willing to let you do such menial tasks." The tone and attitude seemed to be extremely sympathetic towards Xian Yi.

  Xian Yi pretended not to understand and said: "Mother is also for my own good, besides I like running errands and going out."

  "Hmm, with your looks and figure, you'll probably have a great future ahead of you." Zeng Yiniang deliberately lowered her voice and said to Xian Yi.

  Xian Yi slightly avoided her face, looking bewildered: "We're all just servants, where did we get such great fortune? Don't even mention it, Old Lady Zeng. Be careful or the mistress will hear and get angry again."

  She was blocked by her, thinking of the time when she was scolded by the old lady for meddling in other people's business and almost lost all her dignity. She couldn't help feeling a little intimidated, but then she thought of Chen's usual arrogant attitude and couldn't help saying: "You're just a fool, your mother is so strict with you, how can you be like this? You look like a fresh flower, how can you be a servant for the rest of your life? Your mother doesn't want to let you go, but she's also avoiding the young masters. Is this really loving you or harming you? Think about it, the eldest young master will definitely inherit the family business, and the second young master is studying so hard now, maybe he'll become a top scholar. If you became their concubine, wouldn't your life be like a fish in water?"

  Xian Yi's face was covered in cold sweat. At just thirteen years old, this wet nurse actually wanted to arrange a marriage for her? Without considering whether she would accept or not, did she want to create discord between the mother and daughter? This was underestimating Xian Yi too much.

  "Zeng Nainai is joking again, Xianyi doesn't understand, in a while the big girl will be back, and Madame should look for Nainai."

  The old lady looked at Yao Xianyi's appearance, which didn't seem to be fake, and she couldn't help but scold this silly girl in her heart. However, it seemed that there was indeed a commotion coming from the front, so she didn't dare to stay any longer. She directly stated the purpose of today, saying: "The old lady is doing this for your own good, don't give up on a good life in the future because of your pride. The young masters' side, your mother is watching too closely, but it's different today. The eldest daughter is coming back, do you know what important matter she has when she returns?"

  Xian Yi was taken aback, could it be that there's still some hidden truth here?

  Zeng Nainai saw Xianyi's expression and thought she had taken the bait, so she quickly continued: "It's been half a year since Big Miss got married and there hasn't been any news. I'm afraid her husband's family has some opinions about it. Now that she's back, I think for sure she must be coming to our estate to pick out some pretty maidservants to take with her and share the burden."

  Xian Yi was speechless with laughter and tears, this Zeng Yiniang really treated her like a fool. Not to mention whether the eldest girl came back to find a concubine for herself or not, even if she did want to find one, she would never choose someone as young and infertile as Xian Yi. Moreover, which family finds a young and beautiful concubine for their husband? It's best to find one who can give birth to a child that won't make the husband regret it afterwards. However, this was just what Xian Yi thought, after Zeng Yiniang walked ahead, she secretly discovered that all the girls around her, whether they were 11 or 12 years old or the older maids, were dressed and made up differently today, looking more radiant and beautiful than usual. Even Xiuzhu, an older maid, had put on a thin layer of makeup, making her look even more delicate.

  Is this what it's like to attend an interview before becoming a concubine? Xian Yi smiled wryly, but took another step forward into the crowd. No wonder her mother hadn't said much to her; they weren't even interested in becoming concubines for the young masters of the Yuan Wai Lang's household, let alone going under the care of an older girl.

  The eldest daughter, Jin Qiaoling, was supported by someone as she entered the main house. Xian Yi looked at her from a distance and saw that she didn't wear any makeup, but her face was rosy and radiant. She didn't look like what others had described - being neglected and disdained by her husband's family due to her lack of dowry, which made her appear haggard and worn out. Instead, she held her head high, smiled lightly, and spoke softly, exuding an air of elegance and nobility that was even more pronounced than before she got married. The old lady stayed by her side, dabbing at the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief, whispering something in a low voice. Chen Yini supported her as they walked together, while Zeng Yini trailed behind, looking displeased on her face.

  The lady of the house led her eldest daughter into the main room, wanting to have a private conversation, so she had everyone leave. Even Chen's wife was sent outside to keep watch at the suggestion of the young lady, leaving only the senior maid who followed the eldest daughter and Spring Scene, the lady's personal maid.

  Everyone has left, the madam pulled her daughter's hand and finally asked, "Has your husband bullied you?"

  Jin Qiaoling smiled and said, "Mother, where are you thinking of going? Not to mention that my father's official position is low, but my maternal grandfather's family is not a fifth-grade official who can hold on to it. Moreover, I've heard the news that my father's position may be moved after the new year."

  "Is this true?" The madam was overjoyed, originally it was she who insisted on marrying the handsome and refined old master, otherwise with his identity as a small scholar, what qualifications did he have to marry her, the eldest daughter of the Ministry of Revenue's Langzhong at that time? Now her father's position had reached the second rank of Shangshu, but her husband was still only an outer official of the fifth rank. Although when she returned to her parents' home, they wouldn't say anything, she just felt that she wasn't as glorious as her older sister who married into the Left Chancellor's household. Especially recently there were rumors that her older sister's youngest son might marry a princess, and she felt even more unbalanced in her heart. So this time, the news brought by her daughter, although it was unknown what position the old master would reach, overall speaking, made her extremely comfortable.

  "Don't go telling everyone, okay? This is something my father-in-law and husband discussed in private, it can only be confirmed after the new year." Jin Qiaoling was also delighted by this news. Her father-in-law had a fifth-rank official position, but her own father only had a lower fifth-rank position. If she didn't have an outer grandfather with a second-rank position, she might not have been able to stand firm in that household so quickly.

  The lady covered her mouth with a handkerchief, nodded slightly, and made a mental note of the matter, planning to return home in a few days and discuss it with her father.

  "Qiao Ling, then this time you came home except for this matter..." The madam looked at her daughter and saw that she was blushing, and couldn't help but be confused.

  "Mother, I'm pregnant." Jin Qiaoling hugged the doctor's arm, nestled in her mother's shoulder like a little girl, and said shyly.

  "It's really a wonderful thing!" One good thing after another, the lady was overjoyed and tearful, hugging her daughter and muttering "suffering is rewarded with happiness". She then called over the maid serving beside Jin Qiaoling and repeatedly instructed her. After calming down slightly, she looked at her daughter disapprovingly: "These first three months are crucial, how could you run back to your mother's home? If there was something going on, couldn't someone have been sent to inform me? Your mother-in-law would still be able to come visit you."

  At this point, Jin Qiaoling collected her smile and sat up straight before saying: "This is also something that can't be helped. Who would have thought that I'd end up with such a mother-in-law? Which family's mother-in-law wouldn't hope for their son to have a legitimate child? Those illegitimate children are nothing but goods, yet they want to enter the main hall and take over. Before I got pregnant, she had already come up with a plan to let my husband take a concubine, with the intention of having her give birth to a son in my name. How could I let her have her way? Raising such a lowly child, would I still be able to show my face outside? Now that I'm pregnant, I thought she'd calm down a bit, but who knew she'd use the excuse that our son has no one to serve him and want my husband to take another concubine. Now her family's illegitimate daughters have all entered the manor, if I don't think of something, I fear that in the future, there won't be any place for us two women to stand in this household."