Chapter 13 : My Grandmother Wants to See You
13: My Grandmother Wants to See You
On the morning two days later, Qin Wan stepped out of the Qin Manor gate for the second time.
Outside the gate, five exquisite, luxurious carriages were lined up in a row, fully displaying the Qin Manor's prominence. In front of the carriages, Qin Xiang, Qin Shuang, and Second Young Master Qin Li, all dressed in splendid attire, were already waiting. Seeing Qin Wan emerge, all three looked over.
In the clear morning light, Qin Wan wore a misty blue‑green gown with a water‑ink orchid pattern and pleated skirt. Her willow‑leaf brows arched toward her temples, her eyes bright, teeth white, her black hair styled in a cicada‑wing chignon. She walked gracefully out of the manor gate, her figure slender and elegant. As she moved, the undulating hem of her skirt resembled two dark‑colored clouds approaching from afar. The three people by the carriages stared momentarily, stunned. Even Qin Shuang, who hated Qin Wan the most, showed a flash of admiration in her eyes.
It was clearly the cool early autumn, yet Qin Wan's arrival seemed to brighten the desolate sky outside the manor gate. Her willow‑leaf brows slightly furrowed, her demeanor reserved and gentle, her obsidian‑like eyes deep and captivating. Every frown and movement carried an extreme of noble elegance and pure allure.
The former Qin Wan had delicate features but lacked any spiritual charm. Now, Qin Wan had returned from death, her beauty also reborn, as if a peerless beauty from a classical painting had stepped out of the canvas, like a fleeting swan amidst light clouds and the bright moon. Merely appearing made everything around her pale in comparison. Everyone present stared dumbly at Qin Wan, holding their breath.
Qin Xiang's brows soon furrowed. Qin Shuang also clenched her sleeve, feeling extremely uncomfortable. With a sweeping glance, seeing everyone's gaze fixed on Qin Wan, the unwilling anger in her heart surged even more!
"You're so late! Do you even know how to write the word 'propriety'?!"
Qin Shuang's cold shout snapped everyone back to attention. Hearing this, Qin Wan looked over with detached indifference, as calm as if she hadn't heard. Seeing this, Qin Shuang grew even angrier. She was about to erupt when, turning her head, she saw Jiang‑shi and Lin‑shi walking out.
Qin Shuang hesitated slightly and swallowed the reprimand on the tip of her tongue.
Lin‑shi and Caihe supported Jiang‑shi as she walked out slowly. The three instinctively looked toward the carriages, then all simultaneously looked at Qin Wan. A moment later, Jiang‑shi instructed, "At the Anyang Marquis's household, do not lose propriety. Let's go."
Jiang‑shi boarded the first carriage, Lin‑shi the second. Qin Li and the Qin Xiang sisters took the third and fourth. Qin Wan was left with the last one. Once in the carriage, Fuling, who had been following, let out a long sigh.
"Seeing the Old Madam makes me a bit afraid. The Sixth Young Miss herself has the least propriety, yet she lectures Young Miss."
Qin Wan brushed her sleeves without responding. Fuling added, "The Anyang Marquis's household invited Young Miss. Even the Old Madam doesn't know why. It's truly strange."
"Don't worry. We'll know when we reach the Anyang Marquis's household."
Qin Wan reassured Fuling, her eyes narrowing slightly. She also wanted to know why the Anyang Marquis's household had invited her.
It was still early. The carriage moved very slowly. The Qin Manor was located in the east of the city, the Anyang Marquis's household in the west. East to west, the distance was indeed not short. Along the way, Qin Wan lifted the carriage curtain, observing the bustling, prosperous Jinzhou City.
"Young Miss, these carriages all seem to be heading to the Anyang Marquis's household!"
Qin Wan followed Fuling's gaze. Indeed, on the streets before noon, luxurious carriages followed one after another, all heading toward the western part of the city.
"It really is the Anyang Marquis's household. With that Grand Princess there, no one dares to be careless."
The closer they got to the west, the slower the carriage became. The Anyang Marquis's heir‑apparent's wedding meant the marquis's household was filled with guests. Not just from Jinzhou Prefecture, but even guests from the capital had come. Thus, congestion began two streets away from the marquis's household.
They had set out in the morning. By the time the Qin Manor's carriage reached the front of the Anyang Marquis's household, it was almost noon.
As the carriage stopped, Fuling helped Qin Wan alight. Immediately, the imposing yet elegant Anyang Marquis's household came into view, along with the festive, lavish decorations and the elegantly dressed guests of the marquis's household.
Qin Wan didn't look around much, directly following behind Jiang‑shi.
Compared to the quiet, well‑mannered Qin Wan, Qin Xiang and Qin Shuang seemed unable to contain themselves.
Perhaps having never seen such a grand spectacle, even Qin Xiang couldn't suppress her curiosity and began looking around. Qin Shuang, even more so, stared with wide eyes, constantly observing the household's scenery and the coming and going guests.
Qin Li followed closely behind Jiang‑shi, also quite interested, only occasionally glancing back at Qin Wan. Seeing Qin Wan not looking sideways, every gesture and movement dignified and serene, a heavy doubt rose in Qin Li's eyes.
"I heard the bride is the youngest daughter of Duke Song's household in the capital. The wedding procession alone took a month. Today's auspicious hour is in the afternoon. We'll have quite a wait."
"The Yue and Song families are marrying. Is the Grand Princess planning to return to the capital?"
"Who knows? The Grand Princess hasn't been well these past few days. Right now, she's meeting a few who usually have close ties with the marquis's household. As for us, we probably won't get to see her today."
In the flower hall on the east side of the marquis's household, Jiang‑shi sat with Qin Wan and the others, along with a hall full of ladies and young misses.
These ladies and young misses were mostly from official and noble families in Jinzhou. In principle, they should be familiar with the Qin Manor. But aside from a few ladies who stood to greet Jiang‑shi when they first entered, no one afterward came to chat with the Qin Manor people.
Jiang‑shi never let go of her prayer beads, utterly unmoved by the noisy environment, actually closing her eyes and reciting sutras.
Jiang‑shi could sit still, but the younger generation like Qin Li couldn't. Before long, they grew restless, wanting to get up and move around. Seeing this, Lin‑shi frowned. "Your eldest brother went to Jianzhou and hasn't returned. No one can keep you in check. None of you are to run around. Sit properly."
The Qin Manor's Eldest Young Master, Qin Chen, had been away from home for many days and hadn't returned yet. Qin Wan hadn't met him.
Qin Shuang wore a bitter face. "Sitting like this is so boring! We've been sitting for half the morning. Who knows when the bride will arrive? It's already afternoon, and no one in this household is entertaining us."
It wasn't that no one was entertaining them, just that no host was.
Seven or eight maidservants stood around the flower hall, ready to replenish tea and snacks for the guests at any time.
Lin‑shi lowered her voice. "There are too many guests today. Naturally, they can't attend to everyone perfectly. Don't say more."
Qin Shuang snorted, muttering quietly, "If I'd known it would be this boring, I might as well not have come." Then she looked around again. "Why don't I see Uncle Huo and Brother Huo?"
The 'Brother Huo' Qin Shuang mentioned was naturally the Prefect's son whom the Ninth Young Miss admired.
When Qin Shuang said this, she deliberately glanced at Qin Wan. However, Qin Wan's expression remained calm, her brows not even twitching.
"Prefect Huo is the parent‑official of Jinzhou, holding real power. Naturally, he wouldn't sit with us."
Lin‑shi had no choice but to explain again. Hearing this, Qin Shuang gritted her teeth, another thought arising. "I heard the elderly lady of this marquis's household is the Grand Princess Jiayi. I wonder if she'll summon us?"
Qin Shuang's chattering became unbearable even for Qin Xiang, who scoffed lightly. "Don't think about it. Among the ladies and young misses sitting in this flower hall, have you seen anyone who's met the Grand Princess? Just sit properly."
Qin Shuang pouted. But as her gaze swept around, she saw two figures arriving at the flower hall entrance!
"Hey, look, who's coming?!"
Qin Shuang's low exclamation made the other ladies and young misses in the flower hall also notice the newcomers. Instantly, everyone looked toward the flower hall entrance. Qin Wan also turned her head. Within sight, a young woman in indigo blue martial attire walked in, followed by a maidservant in green clothes.
"Ah, it's the Young Princess…"
Some sharp‑eyed ones had already recognized the newcomer. Immediately, everyone in the flower hall stood up.
Because the old Anyang Marquis had married the Grand Princess, the direct‑line young ladies of the marquis's household for the past two generations had been conferred the title of Princess by imperial decree. At this moment, the spirited young woman called the Young Princess was walking toward the Qin Manor's table.
Qin Shuang's eyes widened in delight. "Is the Grand Princess summoning us?"
The Young Princess drew closer. Jiang‑shi also stood up. Simultaneously, everyone in the flower hall cast questioning, envious, or jealous looks toward the Qin Manor people.
As Qin Shuang hoped, the Young Princess indeed stopped at their table.
Yue Ning stood before the table, first nodding politely to Jiang‑shi, then her gaze fell on Qin Wan. "The Ninth Young Miss of the Qin Manor? My grandmother wants to see you. Come with me…"