Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Nanny Zheng: "Entering through the main gate of the Marquis's residence, beyond the ceremonial gate lies the main hall. Flanking the main hall are a study and a small reception room, both serving as venues to entertain guests. Behind the main hall stands a martial practice field, marking the boundary of the front courtyard."

Behind the Martial Practice Ground lies the Inner Ceremonial Gate. Beyond that stands the main residence of the back courtyard, with its main hall named Yanqing Hall. Presently, it is occupied by the elderly Marquis and Lady. On either side of the main residence are two three-compound courtyards. The eastern one houses the Crown Prince and his wife, as well as the families of Third and Fifth Masters. The western courtyard is home to Second and Fourth Masters; however, since Second Master is not currently in residence, two of its courtyards remain unoccupied.

Meng Die nods her head gently.

The eldest young master resides in the Orchid Pavilion, and the second young master resides in the Qixia Pavilion, both located adjacent to the Eastern Courtyard, which can be considered as a subsidiary courtyard of the Eastern Courtyard. The main house, Eastern Courtyard, Western Courtyard, and the rear service quarters are all centered around the garden, with the kitchen situated within the rear service quarters. To the north of the garden, adjacent to the kitchen, there is a pond, and within the garden, there are several smaller courtyards where the young ladies of the marquis's residence can move to live once they have passed the age of ten. As the second madam resides for a longer period, she will come to know all of these details.

Meng Die asked, "Nanny, at what time does Mother usually wake up each day?"

Nanny Zheng's smile widened, becoming even more amiable. "Madam usually rises at sparrowfart, around 6 a.m., and pays her respects to the Matriarch with the other madams at the main residence by 7 a.m. In the evenings, she usually visits the Matriarch around 4 p.m."

"The Old Marquis has social engagements three or five days a month. On those days, the Matriarch will have all the young ladies join for meals. Normally, when paying respects, they would chat for a while, then Madam and the other madams would return to their respective courtyards, the First Lady included."

Meng Die quickly calculated the times for morning and evening greetings. Her mother-in-law woke up at sparrowfart (6 a.m.), but as a daughter-in-law, she didn't need to attend to her mother-in-law's ablutions. Thus, she only needed to arrive at the East Courtyard around 6:15 a.m. That meant she had to get up no later than before sparrowfart, which wasn't too early – it was even a bit later than her family's routine in Meng's household.

Nanny Zheng continued, "Today, Second Lady is scheduled to meet the Old Marquis and Matriarch, as well as the other senior family members, so everything is happening earlier. Everyone is currently at the main hall in the front courtyard."

Meng Die nods, it seems there's no need to visit the East Courtyard this morning.

As Meng Die walked and listened, she gained an initial understanding of the overall routine and some rules of the Marquis's residence. The rules here were neither numerous nor overly strict; from Nurse Zheng's words, it was evident that as a daughter-in-law of the Marquis's residence, one enjoyed a fairly high degree of freedom. This made Meng Die feel a small surge of happiness.

Meng Die resolved to embrace her true self; compliance was utterly out of the question.

The main hall of the Marquis residence was distinct from that of the Meng family's. The Meng family's main hall exuded a refined scholarly atmosphere, whereas the Marquis residence's hall was characterized by its solemn grandeur and austerity, inspiring a certain awe in visitors.

Unaccompanied, Meng Die entered with composure. Her presence in the main hall was a mark of honor, a privilege reserved only for the legitimate wife. It symbolized the alliance between the Li and Meng families.

Seated at the highest position in the main hall were Marquis Yongyi and his Lady, both with amiable smiles on their faces. They were currently appraising Meng Die from head to toe. They noticed that she was dressed in a long skirt patterned with hidden Fortunate Characters in Skywater Green, complemented by a willow-yellow outer robe adorned with a few vibrant spring flowers, exuding liveliness and cheerfulness.

This ensemble seemed to embody the essence of spring, complementing Meng Die's youthful and vibrant countenance. Her entire being exuded vitality and a profuse energy that filled the atmosphere. The elders, observing this, could not help but express even greater satisfaction in their gazes.

The servants laid out the cushions, and Meng Die gently lifted the hem of her dress slightly before kneeling down. From the tray held by a servant, she took a cup of tea and presented it with both hands to Marquis Yongyi. "Grandfather, please have some tea."

"Very well." Marquis Yongyi took the teacup and sipped it gently, then presented a red envelope.

Meng Die offered a cup of tea to Lady Marquis Yongyi, receiving a substantial red envelope in return.

Should Li Erlang be present, he would serve tea to Grandfather, while she would do the same for Grandmother. But in his absence, the responsibility falls solely upon her.

After paying respects to her paternal grandparents, Meng Die proceeded to serve tea to her parents-in-law, receiving two substantial red envelopes in return. The next in line would have been the Second Household, but as they were absent, she moved on to the Third, Fourth, and Fifth Households. Lastly, she met with the unmarried young lady of the Marquis's residence, Li Hui, who, at seventeen years old, was only a year older than Meng Die yet one generation above her in seniority.

Subsequently, she exchanged courtesies with Li Mao as equals, and finally, a group of younger aunts and uncles paid their respects to Meng Die.

Mama Fan distributed the gifts one by one, and Lady Shen had already inquired beforehand about the exact number of juniors in the Marquis's residence, as well as the count of males and females. The preparations for the gifts were meticulous, giving Mama Fan great confidence as she handed them out.

Princess Consort Shizi Ning gestured to Meng Die, who, like her elder sister-in-law Wen Shi, took her place behind Ning.

Just then, a servant entered to report, "Reporting to Lord and Lady Marquis, the carriages are ready."

"Very well," Marquis Yongyi acknowledged, rising from his seat.

With his movement, everyone in the hall stood up as well. The Lady of the Marquis, the heir, Lady Ning... the other family members, along with their attendants and servants, filed out of the main hall in an orderly manner.

Lady Ning held Meng Die's hand. "According to custom, you should return to your parents' home three days after the wedding. However, given that your in-laws have imperial duties to attend to, they must leave the capital today. I thought it would be better for you to accompany us and bid farewell to your family rather than returning to the Meng residence three days later to find no one there."

Meng Die never expected to have the chance to see her family off. Her heart was instantly enveloped in warmth, like being immersed in a tub of warm water. "Thank you for considering this, Mother."

"We are all one family."

It wasn't until they were boarding the carriages one by one that Meng Die discovered the Old Marquis and the Marchioness themselves had come to see them off. For the first time, she felt a sense of belonging to the Marquis's residence; their actions truly bestowed great honor upon the Meng family, a gesture only exhibited between families bonded by marriage.

With this farewell gesture, it would be less straightforward for the gossips to openly accuse the Meng family of seeking favor with the noble household.

The Meng family's departure from the capital this time was not accompanied by a grand send-off. After all, they were implicated in a rebellion case, and despite knowing that the Mengs had not lost the emperor's favor, it would not be prudent to make a show of their support. Only a few former students of the Meng patriarch and father, as well as their relatives through marriage, came to see them off.

Ten miles outside the capital, the farewell procession halted beside a long pavilion. Marquis Yongyi engaged Meng Tingyi in conversation. Meng Die alighted from her carriage and joined Shen's carriage.

Upon seeing Meng Die, Madam Shen's eyes welled up with tears.

Meng Die hurriedly consoled her, "Mother, Mother-in-Law has been very kind to me. This morning, she specifically instructed someone to bring me pastries to fill my stomach before I left."

"I know," Madam Shen nodded, running her fingers through Meng Die's coiled hair. "If she didn't treat you well, she wouldn't have allowed you to come and see us off."

"So, Mother, don't worry about me." Meng Die changed the subject, "This journey to Ganzhou is long and arduous. You must take care of your health."

"Rest assured," Madam Shen softly lifted the carriage curtain and peered out before lowering her voice, "Early this morning, one of your father's colleagues delivered a letter. It says that His Majesty mentioned your father yesterday, expressing great nostalgia in his words."

No amount of speculation could compare to this concrete news. Meng Die's brows immediately unfurled in delight. "My family truly still has the Emperor's favor."

Madam Shen also nodded repeatedly. "You just need to know who our old friends are in the capital. There's no need to maintain contact with them regularly; when the crucial moment arrives, you can directly ask for their assistance, and they will help."

Meng Die hesitated. "In interpersonal relations, it's all about reciprocity. If there's only sentiment but no exchange, that sentiment might not be worth much."

Madam Shen's face broke into a small smile. "Have you forgotten about the Ministry of Punishments?"

Meng Die was momentarily lost in thought. Back when she was young and studying with her grandfather, she remembered that he had a close friend who would often visit their home, even holding the young Meng Die in his arms. However, they somehow lost touch later on. But she still remembered him – that man was now the Minister of Punishments.

"Ten years ago, due to a major case, they had to publicly sever ties. Yet in reality, they studied at the same academy and forged a brotherly bond, sharing their joys and sorrows as close friends," said Meng Changsheng.

With such a powerful figure keeping an eye on opportunities in the court and the Meng family still holding the emperor's favor, this was the confidence behind Meng Changsheng's claim that his family would never be forced to marry off their daughter.

Shen shifted the conversation: "There's another matter. Your great-aunt sent a letter before her family's troubles, mentioning that your third cousin plans to take part in next year's imperial examination."

Meng Die replied, "I'm aware of this. He should have come to our home last autumn."

"Indeed," Shen sighed. "Unfortunately, something happened, and we don't know his current situation. But since our family members were merely demoted, your great-aunt, being a married woman, is likely not implicated. This morning, your grandfather wrote to assure them of our safety and informed them about your marriage to Marquis Yongyi. If your cousin comes to take the exam this winter or next spring, you should lend him assistance if you can."

"Very well."

This aunt was the only daughter of Meng Tingyi's stepmother, also his younger sister.

Time flew by swiftly. In just a few words, the Meng family had no choice but to resume their journey, leaving Meng Die surrounded by a melancholic atmosphere. With tears brimming in her eyes, she watched as the elderly and young of the Meng family departed.

From this day forward, they would be separated by thousands of miles, each in their own corner of the world.

It wasn't until the servants trailing behind were out of sight that Marquis Yongyi ordered the return journey to commence.

The ladies arrived in their carriages right up to the second gate before disembarking. The other ladies-in-waiting, along with Madam Wen and her daughter, had been waiting to greet them. They helped the Matriarch down from her carriage, and the entire family of womenfolk entered the warm chamber where the Matriarch often spent her time. Meng Die stood behind Madam Ning, following Madam Wen.

Madam Ning sat at the upper seat and asked, "Mother, should we serve the meal now?"

Lady Hou replied, "Yes, let's all dine together."

"Serve the meal."

There were many people in the room, but the space was ample. Two large round tables were placed in the center, leaving plenty of room. The Matriarch took the seat of honor, with Madam Ning on her left and the Third Madame on her right. The Fourth Madame was seated next to Madam Ning, while the Fifth Madame was beside the Third Madame.

At another round table, the young ladies from the Marquis household were seated.

The food was served in lacquer boxes carried by the maids from the kitchen. When they arrived at the table, Lady Wen would take them and personally arrange them on the table. Meng Die promptly followed suit, displaying utmost obedience.

Lady Marquis spoke, "Both of you can sit down as well. There's no need for so many formalities among family."

"Yes, Ma'am."

Only after Lady Marquis's instruction did Meng Die and Lady Wen take their seats. Meng Die sat a step slower than Lady Wen, as she was the second wife and should always follow the lead of her elder sister-in-law.

Lady Hou picked up her chopsticks first, followed by Lady Ning, then the other wives, and finally Wen Shi and Meng Die. As they observed the senior maids serving their mistresses from behind, Meng Die felt increasingly satisfied. It seemed that the Marquis household didn't have overly strict rules; there was no need for new brides to serve food.