bookpower Chapter 1456: Seventh Lady Li: Extra Story (Part 2)
Chapter 1456: Seventh Lady Li: Extra Story (Part 2)
Chapter 1456: Seventh Lady Li: Extra Story (Part 2) Wanting’s marriage has been arranged, which has relieved Seventh Lady Li of a concern.
Seventh Lady Li began to prepare a dowry for Wanting. Lady Li was not stingy, and the family was wealthy with Silver Coin, so Wanting received a truly substantial dowry, like farmland, which yields benefits annually.
When Wanting married, although her dowry only amounted to sixty-four chests, her accompanying dowry from the public treasury exceeded forty thousand taels, not including additional items and what Lin Qinghan left for Wanting.
After sending Wanting off, Seventh Lady Li accomplished a major task. In the following years, she devoted herself to educating her two daughters. As for Brother Jingjing, he was now sensible enough to express his desire to pursue literature, which Seventh Lady Li happily supported. Given their family’s unique circumstances and the resources available, pursuing literature was feasible. After all, the eldest uncle’s family had produced four Palace Graduates, each currently serving in the court, and they were all family members, so Brother Jingjing would surely receive support if he chose to pursue literature.
Seventh Lady Li wasn’t expecting Brother Jingjing to become a marquis or prime minister; she just hoped her son would lead a smooth and stable life. Now that her son chose literature, she was pleased. If he had chosen the military, there would be the risk of life-threatening dangers during wars.
Time quickly passed to the Old Master’s forty-fifth birthday, and Seventh Lady Li sent a message to Wanting. It must be said that Wanting was indeed fortunate, as not long after her marriage, she became pregnant and gave birth to a son with her first child. Now she had three children and firmly established her foothold in Prince Duan’s Mansion.
Soon, the old nanny returned and reported: "Madam, the Eldest Miss said she is in mourning and cannot attend the banquet. She asks you to inform the Old Master."
Seventh Lady Li was puzzled: "Isn’t Prince Duan’s Mansion doing well? There’s no funeral, right?" If there were a funeral, she would have known.
The old nanny who delivered the message whispered: "Madam, it’s because of that person. The Eldest Miss is mourning for them. I’ve also learned that the posthumous matters of that person were arranged by the Eldest Miss." Lin Qinghan was no longer married, so the old nanny referred to ’that person’.
Seventh Lady Li dismissed the old nanny.
Old Granny Cao remarked: "It’s surprising we didn’t hear any news about this. Wanting has done a great job keeping it confidential." Old Granny Cao thought Wanting managed the secrecy very well.
The Li family wasn’t angry, although Madam Lin wasn’t a wife from the Lian family, she was Wanting’s biological mother, and arranging her mother’s posthumous matters and mourning for her mother was expected, "We can’t blame her. Consider, how could she tell me about this? Even if they were close, such matters cannot be shared with her, and truthfully, there was no need to tell her."
Old Granny Cao thought for a moment and agreed with the Li family’s reasoning.
Seventh Lady Li recalled the time when she first met Wanting: "Thanks to Great Aunt, who let her study with Mr. Yun for four years back then, or otherwise, experiencing such people, I’d have suffered greatly."
Before Wanting turned thirteen, she only focused on two things: studying with Mr. Yun and learning rules and etiquette with Nanny Dou. Later, Nanny Dou also taught Wanting some duties of a steward, albeit only in theory.
Yueyao’s idea at the time was simple; understanding and knowledge were most important, while skills like needlework and cooking could be delegated by hiring someone if necessary. However, if one’s mind was unclear, everything else was moot.
Before Wanting turned thirteen, she couldn’t even embroider a pouch, and knew nothing about kitchen work; it was later taught to her by the Li family.
Old Granny Cao now viewed Wanting more favorably because Wanting showed respect to Seventh Lady Li: "I heard that person was only a few months younger than the Old Master, at forty-five years old, but how did they pass away?" Her family’s Old Master was still in his prime, yet that person had gone, dying too early.
Seventh Lady Li replied: "After a divorce and remarriage, unable to bear children, life must have been very difficult, so passing early isn’t surprising." In truth, Seventh Lady Li thought Madam Lin was somewhat obsessive; otherwise, why did she often conflict with Great Aunt? They had no competing interests, and if disliked, maintaining surface relations would suffice. Yet Madam Lin, on her own, could stir up so much trouble.
Old Granny Cao asked: "Madam, should we inform the Old Master?"
The Li family replied: "Of course, we must inform the Old Master." This matter can’t be concealed even if wanted; when Wanting doesn’t arrive on that day, the Old Master will know.
The Li family did not wish to personally tell Tingzheng, so they sent an old nanny to relay the message to Tingzheng. As to what would happen next, it was beyond their control.