At half past the Hour of the Rabbit, Madam Yun rose and called Qi Zhenzhen to get up.
Lian Bei and Qing Shui quickly brought in warm water, serving the mother and daughter as they rinsed their mouths and washed their faces. After they were dressed, dawn was just breaking.
"Let's go pay your grandmother respects," Madam Yun said.
A quarter of an hour later, they arrived at Chaohui Hall.
Two maids stood in the corridor. Qi Zhenzhen recognized one of them as Zisu, whom she had seen the previous night.
"Concubine Yun, Second Miss, please wait a moment. The Old Madam is still washing up," Zisu said with a smile. "Would you perhaps like to sit in the side room for a while?"
"There's no need to trouble you, Zisu, we'll wait here," Madam Yun replied quickly.
They were here to pay their respects, so they had to maintain the proper decorum. Waiting in the side room would imply they weren't truly there to pay their respects.
Before long, Nanny Fang emerged from behind the curtain. She had heard Madam Yun's voice from inside the room and knew the Old Madam had just been praising them.
"Concubine Yun, Second Miss, please come in." Nanny Fang politely ushered them inside.
"You two have come quite early. However, you're not as early as Yi Ge'er. The Marquis just sent a message. He was so happy last night that he talked with Yi Ge'er for most of the night. He can't get up now. The father and son said they'll come after breakfast." The Old Madam beckoned Qi Zhenzhen to sit, and Nanny Fang brought an embroidered stool for Madam Yun.
"Then Yi Ge'er definitely won't be able to have breakfast with Grandmother," Qi Zhenzhen said playfully. "Will Grandmother provide the meal?"
"Of course, it's always Grandmother eating alone. Today, with you as company, perhaps Grandmother will eat more than usual," the Old Madam chuckled. "Nanny Fang, serve the meal. Prepare a separate table for Concubine Yun."
Concubines were not permitted to dine at the same table as the mistresses. Preparing a separate table was already a considerable favor.
Crystal shrimp and pork dumplings, small flower rolls, milky small steamed buns, two plates of finely shredded pickles, and a plate of sliced braised meat. The congee was chicken and shredded pork congee, and the dessert was snow fungus and lotus seed soup. It was plentiful and nutritious, and each dish was exquisitely made. The skin of the dumplings was so thin it revealed the color of the meat filling and shrimp, living up to their name. What surprised Qi Zhenzhen the most was the size of the dumplings; they were just right for a single bite.
"Does it suit your taste?" the Old Madam asked affectionately, placing a shrimp dumpling onto Qi Zhenzhen's plate.
"Grandmother, your granddaughter is not a picky eater. Besides, can anything made to Grandmother's liking be bad?" Qi Zhenzhen replied with a smile after eating the dumpling.
"Listen to that, her words are so sweet, as if smeared with honey first thing in the morning," the Old Madam said to Nanny Fang with a laugh. "Why did I never notice how sweet our girl's mouth was before?"
"Grandmother, whose mouth is sweet?" The curtain was lifted, and a young lady, flanked by two maids, walked in.
Her eyes were like autumn water, her face like the bright moon.
The corners of her lips curved upwards in a smile that was both chiding and joyful. Her goose-yellow dress accentuated her graceful figure.
Who else could be so at ease before the Old Madam if not Qi Mingzhu?
Madam Yun and Qi Zhenzhen quickly stood up and bowed to Qi Mingzhu.
In Da Feng, the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate offspring was clear. Illegitimate daughters had to pay their respects to legitimate daughters, and concubines also had to pay their respects to legitimate daughters. Of course, seniority and hierarchy were also strictly observed.
Qi Mingzhu sat down before the Old Madam and casually accepted the greetings from Madam Yun and Qi Zhenzhen.
Normally, Qi Mingzhu should have returned the courtesy after Qi Zhenzhen bowed, but after accepting Madam Yun's bow, she was supposed to return a half-bow.
The Old Madam frowned and spoke with a hint of displeasure, "Mingzhu, you accepted Concubine Yun's greeting, but why didn't you return it? Where did you learn your manners? You don't even know this? With your behavior, Grandmother will not be at ease when you marry."
Qi Mingzhu had not expected the Old Madam to say such a thing. In the past, she had never returned the greetings of any of the concubines in the manor, and no one had ever said anything. Why was she being singled out today? Just as her mother had said, after Madam Yun and her son returned, the Old Madam's eyes were only on them.
"Grandmother~" Qi Mingzhu whined, pulling on the Old Madam's arm. "Concubine Yun has just returned, and your granddaughter isn't used to it yet. From now on, when Concubine Yun bows, your granddaughter will remember to return a half-bow."
After all, she was her beloved granddaughter, whom she had doted on since childhood. The Old Madam could only let it go, and she flicked Qi Mingzhu's nose. "This is the last time. If Grandmother sees it again, Grandmother will make you learn the rules anew."
A flicker of displeasure crossed Qi Mingzhu's eyes. To make her, the legitimate daughter, learn rules for a concubine and an illegitimate daughter? Hmph, Grandmother was truly getting old, paying attention to just anyone.
"Alright, alright, everything is as Grandmother says." Qi Mingzhu put on a very obedient demeanor.
"Why are you willing to get up today, you girl? At this time, you're usually still asleep, aren't you?" the Old Madam asked with a smile.
"Is Grandmother talking about when I was little? Your granddaughter is already a young lady, past her hairpin ceremony! How can I still be as lazy as before?" Qi Mingzhu tilted her head playfully. "Grandmother, I am very diligent."
"Did you hear that? This girl is so shameless. No one praises her, so she praises herself," the Old Madam said, amused by Qi Mingzhu.
Qi Mingzhu's maid said crisply, "Old Madam, our young lady is not boasting. She gets up very early every day now. This morning, she personally stewed a sweet soup, saying she wanted Grandmother to taste her skills."
Everyone then noticed the food box that one of the maids was carrying.
Nanny Fang had someone take the food box and retrieve the white porcelain bowls from inside.
Upon lifting the lids, steaming sweet snow fungus and lotus seed soup was revealed.
"Grandmother, you must drink the sweet soup your granddaughter made later and see if my skills are inferior to Grandmother's usual cook," Qi Mingzhu said with a sweet smile. "Sister Zhenzhen, why are you still standing? Come and sit down quickly. Grandmother, I haven't eaten in my courtyard, so you must provide the meal."
The Old Madam nodded indulgently. "Zisu, go get the Eldest Miss some red bean buns. She likes them the most."
Soon, a plate of steaming, round, plump red bean buns was brought over.
Qi Mingzhu did not use chopsticks. Instead, she reached out with her slender, white fingers, picked up a red bean bun, and took a bite, her cheeks puffing out in a charmingly naive manner.
"Grandmother's red bean buns are still the most delicious. The red bean paste is sweet and glutinous, melting in your mouth. Sister Zhenzhen, don't just watch, have one to try," Qi Mingzhu enthusiastically beckoned Qi Zhenzhen.
Qi Zhenzhen remembered Qi Mingzhu as arrogant, always looking down on her and the third young lady of the manor, her disdain clearly written on her face. Today, the person was the same, but the disdain on her face was gone. Qi Zhenzhen did not believe she had changed her nature over the years and now saw her as a sister. She could only conclude that she had grown up, become more sophisticated, and learned to hide her true feelings. This was a good thing for Qi Mingzhu, but not for Qi Zhenzhen. She would have to be even more cautious of this exceptionally talented daughter.