The carriage wheels had been rolling for a long time.
Jiang Mianmian had eaten six pieces of candied fruit, and her teeth were starting to feel a bit sour.
They finally arrived at their destination.
There was an enormous gate.
It looked like the entrance to a university.
Tall and grand.
Just the gate itself must have been expensive, not only the thick wooden boards but also the hinges and such - surely none of it came cheap.
There were iron rings on the gate, each with a beast's head on top. The beast's eyes seemed to contain jewels, though they looked dull and misty.
A plaque hung on the beam above the gate - "Jiang Manor"
Black background with gold characters, looking quite new.
The welcoming official was supposed to proudly announce: "This was personally inscribed by the Prefect."
But now, faced with the breathtakingly beautiful yet frail-looking Lord Commander who could kill without a word, the minor official, Xiao He, wiped the light sweat from his brow and said, "This is the Prefect's calligraphy, specially prepared for the Lord Commander. I wonder if my lord likes it?"
Jiang Changtian nodded slightly. It was passable, though not as good as Brother Yehang's writing.
Jiang Mianmian and her group disembarked from the carriage to find that the main gate had steps leading up to it.
No wonder it wasn't opened easily.
It seemed inconvenient for coming and going, having to climb a stretch of stone steps first, but it certainly looked more majestic.
After climbing the stairs, there was the main gate with stone sculptures on either side.
Jiang Mianmian looked at them curiously. They weren't lions, one on each side, but some unknown fierce-looking animals.
The stone carvings were old, unlike the new nameplate.
Aunt Yin recognized this residence. It had belonged to a mysterious retired court official.
The family had moved away before the rebels came. Later, the rebels occupied it, and after they surrendered, it was vacated and given to Lord Jiang.
It had four courtyards.
For the Provincial Capital, it was quite large.
When there were many people around, Jiang Mianmian defaulted to not using her feet, always being carried by her great-aunt.
Entering through the main gate, which was flanked by two servants on either side, they first saw a courtyard with a row of buildings along the side. These outer buildings were likely the servants' quarters.
The courtyard had trees and flowers, with a large jar full of water in the corner, probably for fire prevention.
Passing through this courtyard, they came to a long corridor. Walking through it, they reached a much larger courtyard.
It was like a big playground. Crossing it in the height of summer would easily tan one's skin.
Seeing such a large courtyard, one could somewhat understand why the young ladies of wealthy families would ride in sedan chairs to pay respects to their mothers, even when feeling unwell.
If they didn't use sedan chairs and had to run back and forth three times a day to pay respects, they would certainly get enough exercise. They definitely wouldn't become the pale, slender young ladies they were supposed to be, but would likely end up strong and tanned.
This courtyard was enormous, with long corridors on both sides. There were rooms.
The main hall, study, and reception rooms were all here.
Rows of pillars, with maids and servants standing beneath them, dressed uniformly. Some of the maids were particularly attractive.
Seeing the masters enter, they all bowed in greeting.
Slender shoulders, waists, and necks.
On any other day, this would have been a pleasant sight, but today, seeing the maids' behavior, the welcoming official broke out in a sweat again.
No, don't court death, please don't.
That girl with the long white neck, don't stick it out, aren't you afraid of being beheaded?
Keep your eyes down, don't let them wander.
He had originally thought that preparing this luxurious mansion with beautiful maids and women would be useful, but now he found it embarrassing, nerve-wracking, and frightening.
Stop batting your eyelashes, quickly, stop it.
The officials and attendants who had followed them from the city gate wished they could use their official robes or backsides to block the flirtatious maids.
Did they really want to die so quickly?
Jiang Mianmian hadn't noticed these maids. She was just thinking that in such a large house, sun protection would be crucial.
Fair skin covers a multitude of flaws; being fair-skinned was important.
In fact, her mother's features had once been very dignified and beautiful, but it wasn't obvious because her skin was a bit dark and she was overly fit, making her appear rough.
If she had snow-white skin, with that figure... just imagining it was enough to make one swoon.
Apparently, her mother's body was very fair, which Jiang Mianmian could attest to.
How did one make sunscreen again?
Never mind, she gave up. Physical sun protection would have to do.
Wearing a veil on the head, using an umbrella would work too, and she even had people to hold the umbrella for her.
Following her great-aunt further in, they came to another courtyard.
This courtyard was impressive, with flowers and plants, a pond, and a pavilion. It was like walking through a park.
The outer ring also had long corridors; the ancients had considered sun protection.
There were stone steps and small paths in the middle.
It reminded her of those mansion-intrigue stories. Here, concubines and the like would have opportunities to "accidentally" encounter the master of the house. It was a bit awkward though; while the place was large, it wasn't so big that you couldn't see people clearly or play hide-and-seek.
This should be where the women of the household lived. Outsiders weren't supposed to enter, which was why only maids had led them in.
The two officials and their attendants stopped outside.
Looking at the bedrooms one by one, the most striking feature was how large the beds were.
One bed might be bigger than her entire bedroom in modern times.
The bed had storage cabinets inside, bed curtains, and it seemed you could even set up a table inside to eat. If you opened up the space under the bed, you could probably hide several people in a secret passage with no problem.
The bedrooms also had outer chambers, but they were long and narrow. The structure actually felt less comfortable than the houses in Kan'er Village.
However, the carved flower windows, wooden pillars, and wall surfaces here all had a sense of historical weight and wealth.
Compared to Kan'er Village, which was probably considered a simple decoration, this house belonged to the luxury renovation category.
Jiang Mianmian looked around and noticed that the bedroom windows alone had eight carved pictures, featuring rabbits, birds, mice, flowers, and plants...
The doors were also in rows, with carvings on them. They could be fully opened, exposing the entire room, or just one door could be opened.
The door panels looked very heavy.
She particularly examined the fabric between the carved flower windows and doors. Jiang Mianmian poked it with her finger, finding it not easy to poke through. It wouldn't be easily torn, which was reassuring.
Surprisingly, there was yet another courtyard behind this one, even deeper in.
This courtyard had a large racetrack, with lush green grass, small hills, and pavilions on the hills.
This location was impressive.
It offered an advantageous view of everything else from the high ground, providing a panoramic view.
It also served as a security lookout.
As it was getting dark, they didn't climb up.
Lanterns in the residence were being lit one by one.
Watching the maids stand on tiptoe to hang the lanterns with forks was quite a sight.
The cost of oil for all these lamps must be a significant expense.
Jiang Mianmian felt a bit uneasy. Could her father's salary as a Commander afford such a large residence and support so many servants?
It felt like entering this house, there were visibly more maids and servants than their own family members.
If someone wanted to rebel, wouldn't they be easily killed by the servants?
Jiang Mianmian had never employed people before, so she felt a bit nervous.
Having more hired servants than family members - how did people in ancient times manage this?
However, seeing her great-aunt efficiently directing people, it seemed that it might not be a big problem.
After a brief tour, night had fallen.
The two officials said they had prepared a welcoming feast.
Jiang Changtian waved his hand and said, "We've just arrived. Let us rest a bit first. I'll host everyone tomorrow."
The two officials didn't dare force the Lord Commander to attend the feast, repeatedly saying, "Of course, of course. Please rest well, Lord Jiang. If you need anything, feel free to send someone to call on us. We're staying in the residence at the entrance of this street."
The officials and their attendants all left.
The main gate of Jiang Manor slowly closed.
Lanterns were lit one by one.
Jiang Mianmian watched the lanterns, twinkling like stars in the sky.
She took a deep breath.
The wind in the Provincial Capital was a bit drier than in Kan'er Village.
There was no smog, but the air carried more of the scent of smoke and daily life.
The smell of soup being cooked on the street outside the courtyard wafted in.
From today, they would be settling down in the Provincial Capital.
Today, Mianmian had transformed from Jiang Second Young Lady, a starving refugee, into the cherished daughter of Commander Jiang.
