The autumn air was crisp and refreshing.
Catching the tail end of autumn, Qin Luoxia took her two daughters out to visit.
It was mainly because Elder Sister Yu, who was pregnant, had been cooped up at home every day, and Qin Luoxia feared she might develop problems from the confinement.
When Qin Luoxia herself was pregnant, she didn't stay at home all day. She would work when work needed to be done, coming and going in wind and rain, sparing herself nothing. At most, she would eat an extra bite when eating.
Moreover, based on Qin Luoxia's experience, she worried that if Yu truly acted like a pampered young lady, never leaving the inner courtyard, she might not even be able to lift her legs when the time came, which wouldn't be good for childbirth.
It was still necessary to move about. Elder Sister Yu had an outgoing personality and loved to see lively scenes, so she couldn't always be confined at home.
However, given her current heavy body, Qin Luoxia decided to take her to visit the prefect's wife.
Among the wives of various officials, Qin Luoxia got along best with the chrysanthemum-loving prefect's wife.
They clicked well together.
The prefect's wife had a round face, a round head, and was slightly plump and fleshy. She also extremely liked her little sister Luoxia, finding her efficient, straightforward, and easy to get along with.
Seeing her bring Jiang Yu along, the prefect's wife was startled at first, but then very pleased.
Bringing a pregnant woman to visit showed how much they valued and liked her. The initial surprise was out of concern for not being able to take proper care of her.
She instructed her servants to prepare food carefully and meticulously.
Jiang Yu was very well-behaved when out, speaking as little as possible and only smiling with pursed lips.
Pregnancy had made her face rounder and her body fuller.
She originally had a round face, so it didn't appear swollen. Instead, her skin seemed even more delicate and radiant.
It's said that carrying a girl makes the expectant mother more beautiful.
Given the situation in the Meng family, they definitely wanted a son, but would surely love a daughter too.
Either way would be fine.
The prefect's wife had made flower cakes today and specially invited them to taste.
When Jiang Mianmian saw the prefect's wife, she comfortably ran over to call her "Auntie."
Seeing that Governor Wu's wife was also present, she politely greeted her as well, then casually took Wu Yi'an, the governor's daughter, by the hand.
Wu Yi'an didn't want to go, her face pained.
Wu's wife was a bit angry, thinking her daughter looked low-class.
Jiang Mianmian, being right under the adults' noses, dragged the little girl away, along with Wu Yi'an's half-brother Wu Yilu.
Jiang Mianmian knew that the ladies needed a place to gossip, with content not suitable for unmarried children to hear.
But she knew her elder sister would surely relay it all to her later.
Elder Sister Yu sat with her mother and the other ladies to chat.
Being married, she could now listen to the married women's marital gossip, which quite pleased her.
Hearing many juicy stories, she wanted to clap her hands in delight and ask, "What happened next?"
Unfortunately, her aunt would always straighten her clothes at such moments, and she knew it was time to be quiet.
Even if she wanted to listen, she shouldn't express it outwardly.
If she wanted to laugh, she would cover her mouth with a handkerchief.
Hehe.
After a few outings, Jiang Yu quite enjoyed these ladies' gatherings.
They were quite interesting.
Getting together to talk about others behind their backs.
Well, not exactly bad-mouthing, more like gossip. After all, this was a high-class ladies' gathering. Even when speaking ill of someone, they would preface it with something like, "That person is actually quite good, but..." and then go on and on.
It felt not too different from the countryside, really.
This made Jiang Yu feel much more at ease.
Now when she went out, she no longer looked at people timidly. Her demeanor had changed quite a bit.
It was also because she had confidence in herself, her natal family had backing, and her marital family had standing.
Somehow, in her every move, she became graceful and noble.
"I don't want anything from you, so why should I fear you?"
If one had something to ask for, one's back would unconsciously bend.
Of course, it was mainly because Commander Jiang had smoothed things over in the Jingzhou officialdom, so everyone was very polite and friendly.
When everyone is friendly, where are the harsh people?
Meanwhile, Jiang Mianmian was with Wu Yi'an and a shy little boy. The boy was only five years old, wearing a small red robe, fair-skinned, with long hair, and quite handsome.
Wu Yi'an was actually a little scholar, very good at reciting books and studying, the kind of excellent student who ranked at the top of her class.
Jiang Mianmian liked to play with good students, oh no, liked to play with good students.
The little boy was Wu Yi'an's half-brother, Wu Yilu.
As soon as Wu Yi'an sat down, she said to Wu Yilu, "Stay away from me. If you sit too close and bump into me, you'll blame me again."
Most of the time, there was a clear distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children, but there were exceptions. For instance, if there was no legitimate son and only an illegitimate son, the illegitimate son's status would be much higher.
Governor Wu had three concubines, neither few nor many.
The third concubine had given him a son.
His original wife had only given birth to one daughter.
The other two concubines had each given birth to a daughter as well.
The two daughters were older than Wu Yi'an, with Wu Yilu being the youngest.
Wu Yi'an, as the legitimate daughter, should have been cherished and pampered. Now that there was a brother, even if he was illegitimate, her status had inexplicably diminished.
So it made her personality a bit awkward.
Very hardworking, but awkward.
Away from the adults, she sat in the small courtyard with her cheeks puffed out. The table was set with snacks and fruits, but she still pouted.
"What's making you unhappy now?" Jiang Mianmian asked.
"My elder sisters were talking bad about me. They said I shouldn't go to school or help distribute porridge to the poor. They said I'm too exposed in public and won't be able to find a husband in the future. Proper ladies don't like girls like me."
Jiang Mianmian picked at the snacks on the table. Seeing Wu Yilu staring at the small flower cakes, she handed him one and said, "Don't mind what others say behind your back."
Wu Yi'an looked at Jiang Mianmian, waiting to hear her sage advice.
Then she heard Jiang Mianmian say, "What they say might not be as harsh as what I would say."
Wu Yi'an: ...
How could such a pretty face say such terrifying things? o(╥﹏╥)o
The little boy lowered his head to eat the flower cake, his shoulders shaking.
"Next time you encounter this situation, you should confront them on the spot. Make a big scene, escalate the matter. This isn't just talking behind your back; they're trying to ruin your future and the family's prospects. If the legitimate daughter can't marry well, what future does your whole family have? Your father certainly can't bear that."
"But, but..."
"But if you bring it up now, if you're upset now, you'll just seem petty and narrow-minded. What's wrong with your half-sisters criticizing you a bit? They're doing it for your own good. If you didn't confront them at the time and bring it up now, your father and the concubines will think you're making trouble on purpose. This is their first time bullying you and talking behind your back; they're testing your limits. So next time you encounter this, you must confront them on the spot, curse back, and make yourself feel better first."
Jiang Mianmian spoke while sipping some floral tea, which was a bit sweet and sour, and quite tasty.
Wu Yi'an hesitated for a few moments, feeling that what Jiang Mianmian said made sense, but something still seemed off. "The teacher says young ladies shouldn't use foul language."
"What's wrong with using foul language? A certain teacher once said, 'When you speak foul words, your mouth becomes clean.' What teachers teach are society's requirements for women, all benefiting others. But the most important thing in life is to make yourself happy."
Wu Yi'an looked at Jiang Mianmian with adoration, completely convinced.
Aww, she really liked Jiang Mianmian in her heart.
"Which teacher said that?"
"Teacher Spear."
Wu Yilu, seeing his sister cheered up, began peeling fruits for Sister Mianmian to eat.
Sister Mianmian happily ate the fruit and shared some with him too.
While carefully peeling an orange for Jiang Mianmian, meticulously removing the white pith, Wu Yi'an said, "Jiang Mianmian, if you ever bully me again, I'll curse at you, using really dirty words."
"Good."
"You're so smart. You've graduated."
"Of course, I'm very smart."
...
