Chapter 298
Chapter 298
Old Madam Ji slept in perfect comfort. When she woke, she felt refreshed and invigorated.
“That pill truly is remarkable.”
Nanny Zhou handed her a cup of tea.
“Indeed. It lets a person fall into a deep sleep without the slightest side effect.”
“When the Young Master first began suffering from insomnia, he could sleep only if Miss Yunsui stayed beside him. Later, after Miss Yunsui produced the Sleepy Mushrooms, he was able to fall asleep on his own. He still woke easily, but taking another pill let him go back to sleep, and they did no harm to his health.”
Hearing this, Old Madam Ji immediately became interested in Jiang Yunsui.
Nanny Zhou told her how they had found Jiang Yunsui and taken her in, along with stories of her time with Ji Yan’an.
Even after hearing them all, Old Madam Ji wanted more.
She truly had not imagined that her grandson had lived with such vitality here.
And he owed it all to that little girl.
As a result, Old Madam Ji placed even greater importance on Jiang Yunsui in her heart.
At mealtime, Jiang Yunsui came running in beside Ji Yan’an, carrying a fragrant breeze with her.
The scent of peach blossoms clung to her. It was natural rather than cloying, and even Old Madam Ji found it lovely.
“Grandmother…”
Ji Yan’an greeted each of the Ji Family’s women in turn, and Jiang Yunsui copied every form of address after him.
Old Madam Ji laughed merrily and called the pair over to sit beside her.
“Yan’an has recovered now. When are we going back to the Capital City?”
Second Aunt raised the subject at the dining table.
She truly wanted to return to the Capital City.
Before Ji Yan’an could speak, Old Madam Ji shot her a fierce look.
“Second Daughter-in-law, if you don’t want to stay here, then go back by yourself and leave Yangyang with us.”
Jiang Yunsui studied the little girl named Yangyang.
She appeared to be around the same age as Jiang Yunsui, though much less plump. She was a thin, quiet little girl.
Ji Yang sensed someone looking at her and raised her head. When her gaze met Jiang Yunsui’s, she smiled.
Jiang Yunsui gave her a huge smile in return.
Second Aunt shrank back awkwardly, plainly still afraid of Old Madam Ji.
“Mother, I was only asking. I didn’t mean anything else.”
“Besides, I’m thinking of Yangyang. She’s still young, and her education must not fall behind. She needs teachers for noble etiquette, music, chess, calligraphy, painting, embroidery, and all the rest.
“But all the good teachers are in the Capital City. If Yangyang is raised in Mobei indefinitely, won’t that hold her back? How will she find a good husband in the future? She’s been studying since she was three. Surely she can’t simply stop.”
Jiang Yunsui drew a quiet breath.
She counted on her fingers. Goodness, that was an awful lot to learn!
She immediately looked at Ji Yang with pity and sympathy.
No wonder she was so thin. She must have been exhausted.
Old Madam Ji closed her eyes for a moment.
“Beginning today, Yangyang will stay beside me and learn from me!”
Second Aunt’s face instantly fell. “But…”
“What? You object?”
Second Aunt choked on her words and did not dare say anything more.
Many of the dishes on the table were soft and tender, suitable for an elderly person.
With her greatest worry lifted and after a good night’s sleep, Old Madam Ji ate more than usual.
There was even a small dessert after the meal: egg tarts.
All the Ji Family’s women liked them.
After they ate, Ji Yan’an showed the women around the mansion.
All the household’s animals were present. Aside from Old Madam Ji, the women were generally afraid of the two large dogs.
“Why are dogs that enormous running around without chains? What happens if they bite someone?”
Eldest Aunt spoke gently. “The dogs here are carefully raised. I once heard Wenhe say that these dogs aren’t kept to guard the home. They fight the enemy on the battlefield and are considered their comrades.”
Ji Wenhe had been her husband and the eldest son of the Ji Family.
“Didn’t Heiwa, the dog Yan’an once raised, always roam freely around the residence without a leash?”
Second Aunt said, “How can that be the same? These two dogs are much too frightening.”
Jiang Yunsui said, “Zuozuo and Youyou don’t like being tied up. It makes them unhappy.”
Second Aunt glanced at her. “You raised these dogs, didn’t you? Even if you’re Yan’an’s sworn younger sister, you can’t let such dangerous beasts roam freely through the home. What if they hurt someone?”
Jiang Yunsui asked, “Have they bitten you?”
“Listen to you! Is that any way to speak to an elder?”
Jiang Yunsui rolled her eyes dramatically.
“They lived in this home before you did. Zuozuo and Youyou aren’t leaving, and they aren’t being chained.”
“If you want them tied up, do it yourself.”
Let’s see whether you have the courage.
Jiang Yunsui would never make herself miserable simply because the woman was Ji Yan’an’s elder.
Ji Yan’an had told her that even if an elder of the Ji Family disliked her, she was allowed to dislike that elder in return. There was no need to suffer in silence.
“You…”
Second Aunt pointed at her, clearly furious.
“Mother, Eldest Sister-in-law, look at her! She…”
Even Old Madam Ji wanted to roll her eyes.
“Didn’t you bring that on yourself?”
Then she asked Ji Yan’an to continue the tour and ignored the woman entirely.
With Jiang Yunsui’s encouragement, she even boldly stroked Zuozuo and Youyou.
The two dogs might be enormous and fierce-looking, but they were undeniably beautiful.
Old Madam Ji had never seen their breed before.
One was fiery red and looked like a brilliant flame when running. The other was snowy white and exceptionally lovely.
The others watched with growing eagerness to pet them too.
Even little Ji Yang wanted to touch them. Large, fluffy dogs were simply irresistible to a child.
Unfortunately, her grandmother kept a strict watch over her.
“Yangyang, you’re going to be a proper noble lady. You mustn’t imitate rude, ill-mannered children who raise all sorts of disorderly creatures.”
The smile faded slightly from Ji Yan’an’s lips.
“Second Aunt, the Ji Family has always excelled at raising dogs, and Second Uncle loved them too. As members of the Ji Family, the one thing we must never do is forget our roots.”
Without waiting to see her expression, he led the others onward.
Jiang Yunsui introduced them to the remaining animals.
“Old Madam, look. That’s Huohuo. It’s the prettiest of all the birds now.”
Indeed, Huohuo had molted.
Its juvenile down had fallen away and been replaced by magnificent golden-red plumage. Its body was more elegant and slender than a crane’s, while long tail feathers trailed behind it, even lovelier than a peacock’s train.
Now it rose gracefully into the air and landed on a Peach Tree. Even the profusion of peach blossoms could not outshine its splendor and elegance.
Huohuo’s temperament had changed after its adult feathers grew in.
It was no longer quite so mischievous. No one knew what had awakened inside it, but it had become exceptionally vain, beauty-conscious, protective of its feathers, and mindful of maintaining its image.
Whether flying, landing, standing, or walking, it behaved as though a camera were trained on it. Every casual movement radiated grace and nobility.
It was practically a different bird.
“That… how does that bird look so much like a phoenix from legend?”
The Ji Family’s women were dazzled by Huohuo as well.
It was their first time seeing a bird so beautiful and so similar to descriptions of the legendary phoenix.
Jiang Yunsui lifted her little chin proudly.
“I raised it.”