Undoubtedly, the method of Old Madam Gu was the best.
It offered Gu Changwei and Gu Siya a chance to pull back from the brink, leading to a harmonious coexistence. If they remained unsatisfied, it would be due to willful blindness, rendering all advice useless.
"Your grandson will heed Grandmother's words," Gu Sinian said after some thought.
"Go and fetch your wife," Old Madam Gu instructed.
Due to the previous arrangement of concubines, Old Madam Gu had been rather displeased with Qi Zhenzhen. This was the first time she had proactively requested to see her.
Qi Zhenzhen arrived shortly. Old Madam Gu dismissed Gu Sinian, saying, "Your aunt and mother are here. Does Grandmother need to torment her granddaughter-in-law? Rest assured, I just want to have a chat with her."
Qi Zhenzhen gave Gu Sinian a reassuring look. Gu Sinian gently squeezed her hand and said, "Grandmother, Aunt, Mother, I shall take my leave then."
Indeed, with her mother and aunt present, there was no way Grandmother would be allowed to trouble Zhenzhen.
"Zhenzhen, please sit," Old Madam Gu said. While her expression wasn't entirely amiable, her demeanor and attitude were significantly different from before.
"Thank you, Grandmother," Qi Zhenzhen said obediently as she sat down.
Old Madam Gu instructed the attending嬷嬷 (māmā - wet nurse/elderly female attendant) to retrieve something from the inner chamber.
Four boxes, each about a foot square, were brought in one after another.
"Some of these items are from my dowry, and others are valuables I've accumulated over the years. Originally, they were meant for your aunt and mother, but since neither of them lacks anything, I'll give them to you," Old Madam Gu said nonchalantly.
Items that could serve as dowry and had been carefully preserved were undoubtedly extraordinary.
Qi Zhenzhen was momentarily flustered. "Grand... Grandmother, these are your treasured possessions. Your granddaughter-in-law cannot accept them."
"Take them if I give them to you," Old Madam Gu stated. "Giving them to you is one thing, but having offspring is another. This is not me compromising with you!"
Qi Zhenzhen felt a touch of awkwardness.
However, Madam Da Qin understood her mother-in-law's sudden gesture. It was compensation for agreeing to give up the heir apparent position to A Nian, and it also removed any room for A Nian to go back on his word.
As for the heir apparent position, neither she nor A Nian had ever placed much importance on it.
Zhenzhen and A Nian shared a deep affection, and it was likely she also didn't care about it.
Therefore, Madam Da Qin spoke up, "Zhenzhen, this is Grandmother's token of affection. Please accept it."
With Madam Da Qin's endorsement, Qi Zhenzhen no longer refused. She expressed her gratitude, "Your granddaughter-in-law thanks Grandmother."
"Alright, I'm tired," Old Madam Gu said.
Consort An, Madam Da Qin, and Qi Zhenzhen quickly stood up, bowed, and withdrew from the room.
Madam Da Qin and Qi Zhenzhen escorted Consort An back to her courtyard. Emperor Chongwen stood solemnly at the doorway to greet her. Madam Da Qin was unaware of the significance, but Qi Zhenzhen knew and subtly shifted her position, declining the formal greeting.
On the way back, Madam Da Qin expressed her bewilderment, "Why has Consort An's personal attendant been replaced by a young eunuch?"
Qi Zhenzhen offered a few perfunctory remarks to brush it off, then changed the subject. "What are Mother's plans?"
Old Madam's arrangements had not mentioned Madam Da Qin at all.
Madam Da Qin was currently the mistress of the Gu household. Even though her relationship with Gu Changwei was merely a facade, if anything were to happen to Gu Changwei, she would be the first to be implicated and could not escape responsibility. If she and A Nian were to separate, as long as she remained the Duchess, she would not be able to leave with them.
"I..." Facing Qi Zhenzhen's question, Madam Da Qin didn't know how to respond.