CHAPTER 361: CHAPTER 358: THE VISITOR

The Xu family’s carriage stopped in front of the residence.

Miss Xu supported her mother, Mrs. Meng, as they alighted from the carriage.

The people from Chen Family Village had just arrived in the Capital City, and the Xu Mansion had already received the news. Mrs. Meng immediately instructed someone to send a calling card.

On this first day, it was most appropriate for the Xu family, as relatives by marriage, to step forward to appease this bloodline of Prince Guangyang, and the Empress also wished to know the true situation of Chen Family Village.

After all, one’s own family would see things more clearly.

The Empress’s father had already passed away and was posthumously given the title of Grandmaster by the Emperor. Her youngest brother, Imperial Uncle Xu, now served as Vice Envoy at the Secretariat. His main wife, Mrs. Meng, had two sons and a daughter. The legitimate eldest son was already married and serving in Fujian, the second son was Xu Yuanyu, and the eldest daughter, the youngest, was just fifteen years old and not yet married.

Mrs. Meng took a couple of steps and saw three women standing at the entrance of the residence, all dressed in coarse cloth dresses, appearing very much like rural villagers.

The old lady was slightly hunched and very thin, yet her spirits seemed quite good. Beside her, a peasant woman about thirty or forty years old had a somewhat timid expression on her face.

The youngest one should be the granddaughter of Prince Guangyang, that Miss Xie.

Mrs. Meng looked at Miss Xie twice; Miss Xie had a delicate appearance, with black eyebrows and particularly bright eyes. Even though her attire was too simple, she still made quite an impression.

If her skin were a bit fairer... she would truly be an extraordinary beauty. Mrs. Meng compared Miss Xie with Yang Wu, who also had some charm but only after meticulous dressing up. If she were plain-faced, she might not be able to compare to the one before her.

Suddenly, Mrs. Meng somewhat understood why the Empress repeatedly instructed her to carefully observe Miss Xie’s appearance, and also summoned her to the palace to show her the portrait of Princess Guangyang before the people of Chen Family Village entered the Capital.

Princess Guangyang was known for her stunning looks, and her daughter inherited at least six or seven parts of her beauty.

Thinking this, Mrs. Meng walked over to Old Mrs. Chen and bowed to greet her.

"Mrs. Xu, how could we let you do this?"

Old Mrs. Chen, accompanied by Mrs. Gao and Xie Liangchen, returned the courtesy, inviting Mrs. Meng and Miss Xu inside.

Mrs. Meng walked towards the courtyard and said, "It’s quite a journey from Zhenzhou to the Capital City, especially in winter. You must have had a hard time."

Old Mrs. Chen replied, "Not at all. Along the way, the eunuchs and the officials took good care of us. The old woman... I simply slept in the carriage and ate when we stopped. Though there were some bumps, the carriage had thick cushions laid out, and I slept comfortably without any fatigue."

Mrs. Meng couldn’t help but smile, looking at Xie Liangchen beside Old Mrs. Chen. "The other day when I visited the palace, Her Majesty mentioned both the old lady and Liangchen. She is very fond of you."

Mentioning the Empress, Mrs. Meng noticed that the women from the village seemed taken aback, especially the one in her thirties who slightly opened her mouth.

Perhaps they couldn’t believe such concern from the Empress.

Old Mrs. Chen said, "This... I am just an unsophisticated person. How could I trouble the Empress?"

Mrs. Meng chuckled inwardly; it was as she had anticipated. The old woman from Chen Family Village would only manage a couple of polite statements.

A peasant woman who couldn’t read or write any character had quite some insight for her background.

If any rewards were bestowed down from the Empress, they would need the eunuchs and the palace maids to instruct them on how to accept and bring back the gifts.

As Mrs. Meng conversed with Old Mrs. Chen, Miss Xu glanced at Xie Liangchen. She heard much about Xie Liangchen’s past during her time in the Capital. Leaving Zhenzhou at seven, growing up in Yuezhou, and returning to Chen Family Village at fourteen, only to have a betrothal canceled and be driven out of the Xie Family, she had no choice but to sell medicinal herbs with the people of Chen Family Village.

With the silver coins earned from selling medicinal herbs, she processed wool into thread tassels, which even their mansion had purchased. They were indeed exquisite, though only suitable for making bed covers or similar items, and not something to be worn.

In any case, those thread tassels sold quite well, earning Miss Xie some reputation, and people in Zhenzhou Village called her "Sister Chen."

In impoverished families, women needed to work like men to sustain the household, so Xie Liangchen’s presence in public wasn’t questioned. However, if known as a descendant of Prince Guangyang, it seemed rather inappropriate.

When this news first spread in the Capital, women would often discuss it. Once the court verified her identity, they would restore it, granting her titles and estates. But for Miss Xie, raised in the countryside, finding a marriage might prove challenging.

Before any conclusion could be reached, the news of Song Xian’s engagement to Xie Liangchen arrived.

Miss Xu felt slightly displeased as she recalled that before knowing of the marriage between the Song and Xie families, the Empress had palace attendants ask her parents whether they were willing to let her marry Song Xian.

Even if no one knew of the inner workings, Miss Xu felt somewhat disgraced. Even if Song Xian might have been interested not in Miss Xie but in the Eight States, marrying into the Xie Family seemed merely to borrow Prince Guangyang’s prestige, yet Miss Xu couldn’t dispel the lingering frustration in her heart.

As the group sat down in the flower hall of the inner residence.

Xie Liangchen and Chen Zigeng went to serve hot tea.

Mrs. Meng watched the adept movements of Xie Liangchen and smiled, saying, "Go and rest now. Let others serve if there’s anything needed."

Mrs. Gao, the housekeeper next to Mrs. Meng, glanced at the maidservant waiting outside.

This residence was under the care of the Xu family, and the servants and maidservants were handpicked by Mrs. Gao. Startled by a look from the housekeeper, the maidservant quickly knelt and pleaded, "It’s all my fault."

Old Mrs. Chen was taken aback and quickly stood up. "What’s with this child kneeling? Whose child is this, and how old...?"

Mrs. Gao stepped forward, looking at the maidservant, "Old Mrs. Chen is kind. Thank her now and serve well in the future. Next time, if you are careless again, there will be no mercy."

"Thank you, old lady. I wouldn’t dare again," the maidservant said before hastily retreating.

Mrs. Meng showed an apologetic expression, "The servants in this house were chosen by the steward from our mansion. Time was short, and they weren’t properly trained. Please, old lady, don’t hold it against us."

Old Mrs. Chen replied, "It’s alright. Everything’s fine. Thank you for all your efforts, madam."

Mrs. Meng continued, "If there’s anything you need help with in the Capital City in the future, just send someone to the Xu family."

Old Mrs. Chen responded affirmatively.

Miss Xu turned to Xie Liangchen. "Sister Chen, since you’re new to the Capital City, you might not be familiar with the place. How about I take you around tomorrow? Is there anywhere in the Capital you’d like to visit?"

Miss Xu thought Xie Liangchen would politely decline, but to her surprise, the young girl met her gaze and said, "I’ve heard the markets in the Capital are very bustling and would love to see them."

The market? Miss Xu’s expression changed slightly. She rarely lingered in such places, but having said it, there was no taking it back.

Miss Xu said, "In that case, tomorrow I will accompany Sister Chen there."