85 gifts

  Yang Lan's face immediately broke into a sweet smile, "Alright! I'll go to the palace first today and take a look around. When I get back, we can arrange a good day to go out and play for a few days before returning. We can also write a few more posts and invite some friends over for a picnic. Let's ask Third Sister and them to write a couple of invitations and call over a few girlfriends to liven things up!" As she spoke, her mind was already making plans for the trip, thinking that it would be best to go when the weather warms up.

  Furong, who was very colorful, followed beside him and chimed in, "We should bring the oven too! We girls can also have a big feast together. Let's call Lianhua and Mudan over as well, we can bask in Old Lady's glory!" She said with her hand covering her mouth, smiling shyly.

  It's just that she basked in the glory of the old lady, but didn't mention basking in the glory of the county master. As expected, the old lady was very pleased, her eyebrows and eyes relaxed a few points, and her spirit improved a lot. Yang Lan secretly praised: Indeed, there is no one who can easily handle things in the big house, everywhere are masters, I don't know why my cousin insisted on marrying in, thinking that the Yang family, as a centuries-old aristocratic clan, has complex relationships, it's not so easy to control, my cousin thinks too simply.

  The old lady was attracted by Yang Lan's enthusiasm and Furong's excitement, and also gained a few more interest, with some light in her eyes, and her body slightly leaning forward. "Bring the musical instrument too, let's go to the sky together, you can play a tune, it's not necessary to be too cautious on your own farm, anyway, there are no outsiders! Let's have fun!"

  Furong handed an old lady a cup of hot tea, speaking softly but with a hint of girlish excitement and joy, "That's great! Thanks to the young master's good suggestion, I can finally go out. Otherwise, I wouldn't even have had the chance to leave the house!" A small face as red and delicate as a peach blossom was filled with happiness.

  The old lady also burst out laughing. She pointed at her forehead with her hand, laughing and scolding: "You heartless little girl, why are you helping her think of ways to get my good things?"

  Yang Lan also smiled and leaned in. "Who doesn't know that the old lady has accumulated a lifetime of good things, and taking out just one thing is enough to broaden our horizons and increase our knowledge! Grandmother, please give me one or two things to take out and show off!" She pulled on the old lady's sleeve back and forth, like a child coquettishly playing in the old lady's arms.

  "It's true, I know that old lady's storage room has many old objects that I don't recognize!" Furong hastily said.

  The old lady couldn't hold back her laughter, throwing her head back and pointing at Furong with her hand, laughing so hard she was doubled over. "Oh my! It's all over! What a mess! With this little traitor added to the mix, it's all ruined!"

  "Old lady! I don't have any!" Furong stomped her feet repeatedly, her small face flushing bright red.

  The old lady finally caught her breath and smiled warmly: "Go get my grandmother green headdress, the one with butterflies!"

  Lotus's eyes were slightly dazed, and soon she took out a key from her waist and entered the inner room. She carried out a red lacquer wooden box with golden inlaid peony flowers and handed it to the old lady.

  The old lady lovingly stroked the box, slowly opening her mouth. "This was my mother's dowry. She gave it to me when I got married." As she spoke, she beckoned Yang Lan to come closer.

  Today, because of sending off Li Qianxue, the old lady was in a bad mood and let Furong tell several girls that they didn't need to come to pay their respects. Yang Lan had to go to the palace and must say hello to the old lady, so only she came to pay her respects.

  "Taking advantage of their absence today, good child I know you're a filial one. That embroidery I love is like nothing else, consider this a reward for you. You young people look best with the green water-like color!"

  After finishing speaking, she opened the box herself. Inside was a set of emerald green jade headdress. A butterfly hairpin, with extremely thin wings that were still slightly trembling when picked up, exquisitely crafted and vividly lifelike, it was a rare treasure.

  There is also a hairpin and a pair of earrings, both in butterfly style, but the patterns are different. They are hand-carved, cleverly using the color change of jade as the direction of the pattern. The butterfly eyes on the earrings have some light red, while the wings on the hairpin have a purple gradient. Each one is unique and does not repeat, yet they blend together in a strange way, truly exquisite.

  Even Yang Lan, who is used to seeing good things, couldn't help but marvel at the exquisite craftsmanship, it's simply a work of art. The butterfly's antennae are slender and slightly trembling, as if searching for the scent of nectar, incredibly realistic!

  Yang Lan gasped in surprise, then immediately withdrew her gaze, shaking her head and taking a step back. "This is too valuable, I shouldn't take it. If Third Sister finds out that Grandma got me something so good, she'll say that Grandma is being partial again!" She said this half-jokingly, half-seriously.

  The old lady kept observing Yang Lan carefully, and indeed, just as Mrs. Xu said, this child was kind-hearted and had no greedy thoughts at all. Her eyes were clear and bright, full of wonder but without any covetousness. This made the old lady feel satisfied and very proud - this is my Yang family's granddaughter!

  He was even more delighted, "Give you and you will receive it, the elder's gift cannot be refused! Don't worry about your third sister, I have another set of yellow jade that is also good, but the carving skills are not as good as this one! Tomorrow when she comes to pay her respects, I'll give it to her. This child has been suffering for a while now! Ah!"

  The old lady sighed deeply, and suddenly thought of Li Qianxue. Originally, she was going to give this to her granddaughter, an orphan girl who would have a harder life with more dowry. As for Lan'er and the two older girls, they were all legitimate daughters with both parents, so they wouldn't be wronged. Later, she could fill in some other old things and it would be fine. But unexpectedly, that child had become so fierce, all because of her own loose tongue, why did she have to tell her?! Alas!

  Furong took one look at the old lady's unpleasant expression and knew that she was thinking of her niece again, who had a reputation for being proud and aloof. She couldn't stand her niece, always looking down on people with disdain in her eyes, making others feel uncomfortable. Even though they were servants, they were still the old lady's servants, not hers. What made her think she could look down on them like that? And why was she always yelling at them?

  Yang Lan took a step forward, her face flushed with a hint of redness and her eyes sparkling with joy and shyness. "Then thank you, Grandmother, for the gift! I got something good from Grandmother, and tomorrow I'll show it off to Third Sister and make her jealous!" She proudly twitched her little nose, looking like an adorable and mischievous squirrel.

  The old lady smiled and said, "This kid is too mischievous! You know your third sister has a hot temper, she gets angry at the slightest thing!"

  Furong smiled and interjected, "Still, Old Lady's eyes are sharp! Third Sister's temper is a bit quick, but her heart is truly kind! The other day, someone came to Peony's house saying that her little brother fell down while playing and broke his arm. To treat the injury and nurse him back to health at the medical hall would cost twenty taels of silver! Her parents asked someone to come in and ask Peony for some money, but how could Peony possibly have twenty taels of silver?! Even if she had some private savings from time to time, they were all given by Old Lady and the young ladies as rewards, and most of it was used up at home, where would there be any left?!"

  The old lady was startled and looked up to ask: "Why didn't you come back to me about this matter!"

  Peony is a big girl, but she has a gentle and reserved personality. She doesn't like to fight for attention or show off. She's skilled with needlework and takes care of the old lady's clothes, everything goes through her hands!

  Although not as clever and favored as Furong, she is a good needlework person who is also gentle and meticulous. She rarely quarrels with others, and when she receives fruits or copper coins, she doesn't forget to share them with everyone. Her relationships with people are very good on ordinary days. After all, she is also a serious and well-behaved older servant woman who likes the clothes and things she makes.

  Lotus's face looked ugly, hesitating and unsure of what to say. The old lady knew at a glance that there must be something inside, so she sank her face and slightly angrily said: "Say it clearly!"

  "It was Miss Zhen who stopped her, that day you were taking a nap, didn't let her in. Peony's nature has always been honest and naive, so she didn't dare say anything again. Later, Third Sister found out and gave Peony her own monthly allowance silver, saying that whenever she embroidered a beautiful apron for her, it would be considered repayment of the silver money." Furen said with a choked voice and reddening eyes.

  It just so happens that San Gu Niang bumped into her, but it also made it clear that Biao Xiaojie was the first to know, yet she refused to help spread the news. She's too selfish and heartless, not wanting them to bully Biao Xiaojie. You've treated us servants like this before, so naturally we're not worthy of getting close to you either. Even though we're lowly servants, we were born to parents just like anyone else. If you're going to be so ruthless, don't blame us for pushing the wall down on you!

  The old lady sighed inwardly, but couldn't speak ill of her own granddaughter in front of the maids. The more she thought about it, the more disappointed she became. Even if she gave her twenty taels of silver, what would that accomplish? She wouldn't be grateful for the favor, and a little money meant nothing to a young lady like her. Only acts of kindness in times of need could truly win people over. How could someone with such an unyielding and proud nature possibly manage the household well? Not only did she fail to win people over, but she also offended them, leaving room for revenge. And yet, she still wanted to take charge of the Hou estate!

  The more I think about it, the more determined I am to stop meddling in this matter. Let Brother Hao's parents take charge of his marriage! I won't interfere anymore!

  "Go back and give Peony two silver ingots, tell her that I really like the clothes she made for me yesterday, it's a reward for her." The old lady could only console her granddaughter in this way, what else could she do?

  Yang Lan felt that she couldn't stay any longer, so she smiled and said: "Grandmother, if you have no other instructions, I'll go to the palace now. I might not be back for lunch, who knows if the Empress Dowager will ask me to stay!"

  The old lady suddenly remembered and said hastily: "Oh! Then you go quickly! Bring someone with you, be careful!"

  "Alright, don't worry, Grandma!"

  Yang Lan bid farewell to the old lady and came out of the house, letting Biyue send back the gifts given by the old lady to her own courtyard. She then took Biyun and rode in the county princess's sedan chair towards the imperial palace.