Chapter 508 - 507: Conduct

Chapter 508: Chapter 507: Conduct

Du Yunluo spoke with Princess An Ran about the matter and then left the couple alone.

Upon leaving the private room, she saw Huo Ziming amicably nod at her, to which Du Yunluo returned a salute.

Jin Rui, who was in the neighboring room, arranged a private chamber for Du Yunluo, added some tea, and said with a smile, "Madam, it seems that Imperial Consort Huo treats the County Princess quite well."

Holding a tea cup, Du Yunluo glanced at Jin Rui, "You could tell just by looking?"

Jin Rui tilted her head, thinking, "I haven’t eaten pork, but I’ve seen pigs run often enough."

The tea that was about to go into her mouth almost sprayed out, and Du Yunluo glared, "If you keep speaking without thinking, I’ll send you to eat that pork."

Jin Rui promptly begged for mercy.

In the distance outside the window, the lake shimmered with a golden light under the sun, dragon boats lined up side by side, and the shores were teeming with people.

At the center of the lake was the Royal Dragon Boat; Du Yunluo could only make out the dragon boat’s appearance and couldn’t distinguish anyone on it.

"Is the Marquis on the drum this time?" Jin Rui followed Du Yunluo’s gaze.

Du Yunluo rested her chin on her hand and said, "I don’t know."

After a while, someone ascended to the top level of that magnificent Royal Dragon Boat, and soon the sound of drums started, causing splashes on the water surface.

Du Yunluo widened her eyes to look, but no matter how hard she tried, being so far away, she couldn’t make anything out clearly.

The leading dragon boat crossed the finish line, and once the last dragon boat arrived, the drumming ceased.

Yet, the excited crowd didn’t disperse and continued to revel on the shore.

Knock, knock.

Someone knocked on the door of the private chamber.

Jin Rui asked and found out it was Jin Lan.

Jin Lan carried a bundle of clothes and said, "The Eldest Madam sent someone to Shaohui Garden saying that Madam is here to talk to someone and watch the dragon boat. I thought, with Madam’s attire making it inconvenient to move, I’d bring some everyday clothes over.

Todays it was Shuying’s turn to stand duty in front, and I’ve informed him. He went to tell the Marquis that Madam is waiting here, what do you think?"

After listening to Jin Lan, Du Yunluo instinctively pressed her neck, realizing it was sore.

"You’ve arranged everything for me; what do I have to worry about?" Du Yunluo laughed.

Compared to when she first arrived at Anhua Courtyard, Jin Lan had grown much over the years and was now quite thoughtful in her tasks.

Praised, Jin Lan smiled with squinted eyes.

Jin Rui took the bundle from Jin Lan’s hands and said, "You guard the door, and I’ll help Madam change clothes."

Once Jin Lan left with a smile, Jin Rui shut the window and helped Du Yunluo take off her ceremonial attire, changing her into casual clothes and redoing her hair.

While deftly doing the task, Jin Rui didn’t forget to praise Jin Lan for a few words.

For Jin Rui, there’s not much of a sense of competition with Jin Lan. She was a few years older than Jin Lan and would leave the Mansion earlier.

With Jin Lan being more dependable, Jin Rui felt more at ease when she herself couldn’t closely attend to Madam.

After waiting for over an hour, Mu Lianxiao came by.

He sat down at the table, "Shuying said you’re here watching the dragon boat, was it good?"

Du Yunluo poured Mu Lianxiao some tea, broke half a slice of mung bean cake, and held it to his mouth. Only after watching him eat did she say, "The dragon boat looks good, but from here, I can only see the dragon boats."

Mu Lianxiao savored the sweet mung bean cake, "Had you told me earlier you wanted to see the dragon boat, I’d have had someone bring you to the lake shore; that place is filled with the official ladies."

"I wasn’t specifically here for the dragon boat," Du Yunluo pointed next door, "Princess An Ran and Imperial Consort Huo were there, so I came up to talk with the County Princess."

Mu Lianxiao cleared his throat.

He knew well that in the past two years, Du Yunluo and Princess An Ran’s relationship had been good. Although Princess An Ran had admired him and even stopped him in the street, it was all in the past. Hearing An Ran’s name from Du Yunluo’s mouth, he couldn’t help feeling somewhat awkward.

However, Du Yunluo was forthright as ever.

Princess An Ran and Huo Ziming were doing well nowadays. To dig up old grievances and taste them only to be sour was not Du Yunluo’s style.

She preferred sweet things after all.

"Princess Nanyan talked to me today, and it was related to Princess An Ran. I happened to see her and mentioned it to her," Du Yunluo explained simply.

Mu Lianxiao, smiling, asked her, "At the palace kowtow, were there any amusing incidents?"

Du Yunluo rested her chin on her hand and laughed, "What women find amusing, you as a man would find dull.

When it comes to East gossiping about West, the titled ladies with imperial decrees and common wives are no different.

Grandmother did have a chat with Marchioness Pingyang, but they didn’t let me listen. Once they finished, I noticed Grandmother’s brows slightly furrowed, and she wasn’t very happy at all.

Marchioness Pingyang is Mu Lianhui’s grandmother.

Madam Wu and the Marchioness had statuses and ranks similar and were in-laws. Whatever few words caused her to be unhappy definitely meant the Marchioness was critical of Mu Lianhui.

As a granddaughter-in-law, reasons for criticism likely boil down to two things.

One is personal conduct, the other is fertility.

Mu Lianhui married last October. By February this year, news of Mu Lianyu’s death arrived; between them was only four months, so not being pregnant is nothing to criticize.

With the death of her dear brother, Mu Lianhui was in mourning and couldn’t expand the family. Marchioness Pingyang wouldn’t dare murmur about mourning, for being careless with words, Madam Wu might report it to Cining Palace, and Pingyang Marquis Mansion would undoubtedly be reprimanded.

If not about lineage and descendants, it would then be about Mu Lianhui’s conduct and deeds.

With her personality, even the Lian Family felt pressured; when she can’t even appeal to Cining Palace, Du Yunluo thought she wouldn’t flatter her elders for favor.

In the eyes of Marchioness Pingyang, it probably became disrespect to elders.

Bringing this up, even Madam Wu can only let Marchioness Pingyang grumble.

Du Yunluo understood well, as did Mu Lianxiao.

The two sat in silence for a while, then Mu Lianxiao shook his head, "As we are out today, Yunluo, is there a place you’d like to go?"

Du Yunluo’s eyes lit up.

Looking out the window at the bustling street made her have second thoughts.

But thinking about wandering around with her husband, the sweetness of the thought overcame everything.

The two went downstairs and strolled around the town for a little over half a day before returning home.

In the evening, they set a table in the Flower Hall, and the family gathered to dine together.

Zhuang Ke winked at Du Yunluo, "Quickly, tell me, was the dragon boat good? You even took a stroll after watching the dragon boat, right? If I knew, I should have gone with you too."

"I wouldn’t bring you," Du Yunluo puffed up her cheeks, "Sister-in-law, if you want to go shopping on the streets, you should go with Big Brother."

Zhuang Ke burst out laughing and turned her head to Madam Wu, "Grandmother, you hear this? I just said one thing, and she already dislikes me."

Laughter filled Madam Wu’s eyes.

Seated to the side with an expressionless face, the Lian Family watched as Zhuang Ke and Du Yunluo’s exchange amused everyone else in the room, except herself.

She couldn’t smile.

Mu Lianyu had passed not long ago; others might have moved on, but as a mother, she couldn’t.

She glanced at Jiang Yunuan, who was sitting beside her, nervously holding Sister Niang.

"When will Lian Cheng return?" the Lian Family asked.

Jiang Yunuan lowered her eyes and said, "He went out during the day, and the Second Master said he would return early..."