Joyful Motherhood in a Rural Family

Chapter 808: Chapter 808: Thirteenth Luo’s Little Scheme

The next day, early in the morning, Di Yelei had already gone to attend the early morning session.

Liu Sisi lingered in bed for a while before climbing out. While she was still washing up, a little maid who had been on night duty came to report.

“The Second Young Master has come to pay his respects to the Princess.”

The Second Young Master naturally referred to Di Xuan.

After Di Xuan moved into Assistant Minister Di’s Residence, perhaps due to his hidden ailment and lack of children, Di Hongyuan took extra care of him. Not only did he hire a personal teacher for Di Xuan, but he also occasionally checked his lessons. Moreover, he arranged for an educating nanny to stay at the mansion to teach Di Ying, but Di Ying’s health was so frail that her sporadic attendance wasted much of his effort.

Liu Sisi’s eyes lit up, and after she finished washing, she met with Di Xuan in the outer room.

...

Di Xuan entered with a calm demeanor, made a bow to Liu Sisi and said respectfully, “Di Xuan pays his respect to Mother.”

It was then that Liu Sisi took a good look at Di Xuan. The Di Xuan of today was a full head taller than herself, his voice deep and husky due to puberty. His hair was neatly gathered at the top of his head, secured by a square headscarf, and he was dressed in an azure brocade robe. Standing there with a straight posture, his gaze fixed on the ground an inch below Liu Sisi’s feet, he exuded a serene presence.

She couldn’t help but nod her head, reflecting on how time is indeed a butcher’s knife. The stubborn child of years past had transformed into the dignified youth of today, the change was undeniably significant.

“Xuan’er, have a seat. Have you had breakfast?”

Di Xuan looked at her in surprise, then quickly lowered his head again, “Mother, don’t worry, Di Xuan had a bowl of lily soup before leaving the house.”

“That’s good then.”

Liu Sisi had concerns on her mind, and knowing that Di Xuan was busy with school, she did not send him away. Instead, she engaged in casual conversation about some unimportant matters.

Di Xuan continued to respond calmly, while it was Liu Sisi who, after a while, ran out of topics to discuss. Now, she sent the servants in the room away.

“When you came to the capital with Prefecture Princess Luo, was YingEr being treated for her illness at Prince Luo’s Mansion?”

Di Xuan was clearly confused but still nodded in affirmation, “Yes, thanks to the Princess’s help several times. If not for the Princess’s strong support, even using her own token to request the imperial physician, YingEr might have…” As he spoke, his hand slowly clenched into a fist.

“And what about you? What do you think of Thirteenth Luo?” She finally managed to ask the question she’d been circling around.

Di Xuan’s face quickly flushed with redness which seemed to spread all the more quickly. He fumbled for a moment, but then stood firm, thought for a moment, and carefully responded, “The Princess Consort is easy-going and eager to help others, and with her noble status, these qualities are all the more precious by comparison.”

“Is that so!”

Liu Sisi remained noncommittal, simply smiling affably.

“Mother, it’s getting late, and I should be off to school,” Di Xuan said.

“Go then, and make sure to listen well to the teacher’s instructions,” Liu Sisi said.

After sending Di Xuan off, Liu Sisi pondered for a moment before having some breakfast. Not long after, the old woman outside reported that YingEr had brought three children to pay their respects.

Liu Sisi was truly unaccustomed to this kind of life. Back in the countryside, she used to hurriedly eat breakfast before going to see the three children; now, the roles were reversed with the children coming to visit her, leaving her stunned for a good while before allowing them to enter.

“Mom, mom, Niuniu misses you so much…”

Niuniu’s voice arrived before she did.

Right after that, Di Ying’s gentle voice could be heard instructing her siblings, and within moments, the silhouettes of several children appeared before Liu Sisi.

The children stood in front of Liu Sisi and greeted her with proper etiquette.

“YingEr (Niuniu, Chou Chou, Xiao Xiao) greets Mother.”

“Get up quickly, all of you come over, come and sit down, have you had breakfast yet? Would you like to join mom for some?”

Liu Sisi smiled and waved the three children over.

All three of them turned to look at Di Ying, who had a faint blush on her face and slightly bent her knees to thank Liu Sisi, “YingEr thanks Mom.”

After the greetings, she then led the three siblings to sit next to Liu Sisi, and the maids and old women hurriedly passed them small bowls.

Liu Sisi had been busy these past few days and had not noticed, as YingEr had been sick. But now, paying attention, she noticed that YingEr was reserved and very well-mannered. Even while eating breakfast, her presence was particularly pleasing, and her movements were quite different.

“YingEr, did you learn all your etiquette under Mother Qin’s guidance?”

Seeing that the children had put down their bowls, Liu Sisi let the three little ones go out to play by themselves before she started speaking to Di Ying.

“Indeed, Mother Qin is a retired nanny from the palace. Since she had no one left to rely on in her hometown, she decided to comb her hair and become an educating nanny. After uncle took YingEr and my brother from our great-grandfather’s place, he made a point of asking Mother Qin to teach YingEr.”

Di Ying’s face was adorned with a sweet smile, making her look especially delicate. If not for her still-familiar face, one would hardly recognize the little girl who used to be so cheerful and lively.

The trauma that YingEr had suffered from that one incident many years ago had not faded with time.

“Hmm, you must learn well the etiquette Mother Qin teaches. It will be useful someday. Guihua originally wanted to come to the capital with us too, but she was worried about the home and decided to stay back in Macheng County…”

When Di Ying and Zhang Yun were engaged, neither family was delighted. Over the years, Guihua had looked after Di Ying quite a bit. Especially in the past two years, Guihua has made it a point to keep Liu Sisi, who was staying at the academy temporarily, informed about the situation back home, and the two women had grown even closer amidst the turmoil.

Because of this, Liu Sisi’s anxiety over YingEr’s health intensified. With YingEr’s frailty, barely able to walk a few steps without tiring, could she really handle the responsibilities of being a wife and daughter-in-law if she married into the Zhang Family? Not to mention bearing children.

When the topic of the Zhang Family came up, the smile on YingEr’s face vanished, then she forced a smile and said, “Brother Yun sent a letter a while ago, stating that everything is fine with him. He also heard that Dad is returning to the capital and expects to be back in the next few days.”

Zhang Yun originally came to the capital with Di Hongyuan but was not genuinely interested in studying. Considering his relationship with YingEr, Di Hongyuan had Zhang Yun “gain some experience” by working as a minor official under one of his students. When his student was dispatched from the capital on imperial orders, he took Zhang Yun with him.

“That’s good to hear. You’re weak, go back and rest well. Remember to get up and walk around in a while, as staying immobile only worsens one’s health…”

Liu Sisi prattled on with much more advice before letting YingEr retire to rest.

Recalling Di Yelei’s words from yesterday and those of Princess Consort Luo, Liu Sisi decided to make a trip to Prince Luo’s Mansion to gather the information she needed. Just as Ye Lei had said, while Xuan’er could wait, Thirteenth Luo was not getting any younger.