Madam He looked in the direction of the kitchen and made sure Lan Er could not overhear her conversation with He Ziming from that distance before slowly speaking:
"Ziming, tell your mother the truth, is there something you and Lan Er are hiding from me?"
He Ziming had thought Lan Er was gone and his mother would still discuss with him why he did not want to return to the capital. He did not expect her to ask him this instead.
He instinctively glanced toward the kitchen. For a moment he did not know how to respond.
As the mother who raised her son, Madam He could naturally discern He Ziming's thoughts.
"You're my son whom I raised with my own hands. How could I not see your intentions? If not for that incident with the Imperial Concubine, your father and I would have planned to find a suitable young lady for you this year."
"Mother..." He Ziming interrupted her words.
"My marriage is not urgent. The incident implicated by the Prince's estate has not been resolved yet. It is inappropriate to discuss such matters at this time."
Lan Er had just been kept by Old Madam Mo after He Zhiran gave birth, tasked specifically with attending to He Zhiran's daily life.
Although there were many rooms in the courtyard residence, Lan Er went in and out every day, so she encountered He Ziming more frequently.
At first there was nothing between them. He Ziming would often give her medicinal formulas to make.
Lan Er did not have Yu'er's culinary talents. When she did not understand something, she would ask He Ziming.
Through more and more contact, the two became closer.
Gradually, He Ziming discovered that the innate gentility and grace Lan Er possessed was no less than those of the young ladies in the capital, and was even superior.
She was gentle and graceful yet without the pretentiousness and arrogance of those noble daughters.
This was the type of wife he had dreamed of having. Moreover, Lan Er was beautiful in appearance. No matter how he looked at it, she was the type of woman he wanted to marry.
Over time, He Ziming realized he must have fallen for this young lady.
Lan Er also felt that not only was the Eldest Young Master of the He Family handsome and learned, he was also the gynecology saint revered by the people of the capital city.
If she was not moved by such a talented and good-looking man, that would be a lie.
But Lan Er clearly understood her own status. Moreover, she had silently sworn before the Fourth Princess that she would live only to see the day vengeance was enacted for her hatred. As for affairs between men and women, she felt she did not have the qualification for them.
Although the two had feelings for each other, they were both well aware of the concept of appropriate social status. Neither had broached the subject.
Until today, Lan Er knew the Eldest Young Master's return to the capital was nearing. To prevent herself from falling deeper, she tried to avoid times they might encounter each other when going out.
He Ziming did the same. He did not know if his family elders would accept him marrying a maid with an unknown background, so he did not dare make any promises to Lan Er either.
These past few days, he had also lived in seclusion, reducing chances to meet her as much as possible.
If he had not come to ask his mother about returning today, he would not have been in the courtyard either.
He had intended to probe his mother's attitude originally. If she could understand his desire to resign his post and remain in the northwest, then he could move forward with his plan step-by-step and slowly communicate with his family.
But coincidentally, his mother had noticed clues so early.
As the mother who raised her son, Madam He could still discern whether he told the truth or not.
"You are my son whom I raised with my own hands. How could I not see your intentions? From young, you were different from those sons of rich families. When they were indulging in fleeting romance, you did not even keep a single concubine in your residence. Mother knows you wanted to find a girl you like to spend your life with."
Seeing his mother had said it outright, He Ziming knew he could not hide his affairs from her anymore.
Since it was so, he might as well lay out all his thoughts honestly.
"Mother, I feel Lan Er is gentle and intelligent, modest and courteous without the pretentiousness and arrogance of those young ladies... "
How could Madam He not see Lan Er's composure and grace?
It was just that, in her deep-rooted ideology, her future daughter-in-law must be a girl matched to the He Family in status. She had never thought He Ziming would fall for a maid.
Although He Ziming did not directly say he liked Lan Er, as someone experienced in these matters, what could Madam He still not understand?
After spending some time in the northwest, she had adapted to the local customs here and even grown to like the equal interactions between people regardless of status.
For a time, Madam He fell into turmoil.
On one hand, she hoped her son could marry a young lady matched in status. On the other hand, she also hoped her son could be with the girl he liked.
He Ziming perceived his mother's conflict.
"Mother, think about the Eldest Young Master of the Wang Family. Because his family did not approve of the young lady he loved from a humble background, he was forced to marry the daughter of the Minister of Personnel. In the end, what was the outcome?
Also, the Young Marquis of Jingyuan fell for a merchant's daughter. To obstruct their affection, the Marchioness immediately arranged for him to marry the granddaughter of Prime Minister Xue. Their married life was turbulent, even becoming the laughingstock of the capital.
There's also..."
"Alright, stop talking and let your mother think."
Madam He was aware of all these examples He Ziming spoke of.
The Eldest Young Master of the Wang Family drowned his sorrows in drink all day long while pining for his beloved lady, thus ruining his prospects and studies.
The Young Marquis of Jingyuan lived in melancholy every day, unable to endure the discord with Prime Minister Xue's granddaughter yet not daring to offend the Xue family's power. In the end, he died from depression before reaching thirty.
"Ziming, are you saying you can only be happy with Lan Er?"
He Ziming nodded solemnly.
"I did not have a lady I fancied before, so I would naturally have no objections if you saw anyone suitable, Mother. But now there is someone in my heart already. If I were to marry another, I fear I would be unable to let go for the rest of my life."
To raise Lan Er's status, He Ziming went on, "Although Lan Er is a maid, those serving princesses in the palace also have rankings. Her speech and conduct are modest, her etiquette and propriety no less than those young ladies.
Father taught me since I was young not to emulate those arrogant young masters, but to maintain an ordinary heart in viewing people and matters. I have never felt she is beneath me in status."
"Mother, I agree with Eldest Brother's viewpoint." The conversation between mother and son was not overheard by Lan Er but had not escaped He Zhiran who had just emerged from the room.
She had focused her energy on Zhu'er and Mingzhu lately, and thus had not noticed anything unusual between He Ziming and Lan Er. Hearing their exchange now, He Zhiran realized something different was indeed going on between the two.
For instance, at meals, Eldest Brother preferred plainer tastes. Lan Er would always place the blander dishes in front of him.
Also, Eldest Brother was fastidious about cleanliness. When at home, maidservants specially helped him wash clothes and tidy his room every day.
Here, it was Lan Er who cleaned his room when he was not around, even bringing out the clothes he had changed out of.
