Chapter Twenty-Three Early Meeting

  (PS: The medical code is on the list, thank you for your support, I won't say more, extra update today!)

  Sleep well tonight!

  The next day, before it was fully light, a faint noise had already reached Jinzi's ears.

  Jinzi slowly opened her eyes, gazing out through the curtains at the eastern sky's whitish glow seeping through the gaps of the nanmu wood window. She lay flat on the bed for a while, the clamor outside seeming to grow louder and more intense.

  Jinzi furrowed his brow, propped himself up, and called out towards the outside of the house: "Xiao Xiao, what's going on?"

  Smiling and hurrying in, "Wife, did I disturb you? It's Madame Feng leading the housekeepers in a morning meeting!"

  "Early meeting?" Jinzi raised an eyebrow in doubt and asked: "Were the previous early meetings also held outside Qingfeng Garden?"

  "Have you forgotten? Our Qingfeng Garden is the quietest and most secluded in the entire mansion. Aunt Feng wouldn't go out of her way to lead a group of mothers here for a meeting." Xiaoxiao curled up her lips, her tone clearly dissatisfied: "It seems it's still that woman from the main courtyard, she can't bear to see us living comfortably. Yesterday, Master just let you out, and now she can't stand it, sending a big group of people over early in the morning to disturb our peace!"

  Looking at Xixi's belly full of grievances, Jinzi couldn't help but smile.

  "This little setback we can bear! Now the weather is gradually warming up, not like winter days that linger in bed, getting up early and breathing fresh air isn't a bad thing! Besides, Aunt Feng has an early meeting outside Qingfeng Garden, only twice a month, which doesn't affect us much, but it allows us to learn more about the situation in the mansion!"

  Xiao Xiao made Jinzi's eyes light up as he nodded and said: "This bad thing has been explained into a good thing by you, madam..."

  "Go prepare your toiletries, we still have things to attend to today!" Jinzi instructed.

  "Daughter? Are we going to sell paintings?" Xiao Xiao asked in a trembling voice, trying to suppress her excitement.

  Kaneko nodded and made a shushing sound with his hand.

  Smiling and efficiently serving Jinzi after he finished washing up, just as she was about to pick up the horn comb to comb his hair, Zhuang Mama pushed open the door and walked in.

  "Has our daughter gotten up?" Mother Zhang asked with a smile.

  "Hmm, can't sleep, so I got up!" Jinzi said with a smile as he looked at his mother through the copper mirror standing behind him.

  Mother Wang nodded, took the cow horn comb from Xiao's hand, gently combed her golden hair hanging down to her back and buttocks, and said softly: "It will soon be dawn outside our Qingfeng Garden. This is what the master of the main house gave us as eye medicine. I reckon he's not feeling comfortable inside, the last Buddhist ceremony was a mess, he must be extremely resentful."

  "Stubborn woman, she's asking for trouble herself, and there's nothing I can do about it!" Jinzi said coldly.

  "The old slave knows, but this inner house is her master's business after all. If she doesn't feel comfortable, how can we be comfortable?" Lao Mama sighed and casually styled Jinzi's hair into a bun while advising: "Since the young mistress became pregnant, you haven't gone to pay your respects to her. Today is the first day of the month, all the mistresses, concubines, and managing mothers in the mansion will go to listen to her instructions and pay their respects. Will the young mistress..."

  Kaneko looked up at the copper mirror, meeting his mother's expectant gaze, although he was not very willing in his heart, but also couldn't bear to disappoint her.

  For over a decade, Zhuang Mama has endured hardships to raise Jin San Niang. To her, Jin Zi is naturally respectful. Now that she is advising him in this way, it's also for the sake of making her own life easier in the mansion. After all, as the county magistrate and father, Jin Yuan has endless official duties and can't always pay attention to Qingfeng Garden, let alone interfere with the management of the inner courtyard. Therefore, Zhuang Mama's worries are not unfounded.

  Although Jinzi was determined to be self-reliant, the outcome of Yuexuan's trip was uncertain, and without having earned any silver, he felt a lack of confidence in his heart, and couldn't afford to quarrel with Linshi at this time, cutting off his own path.

  "Thanks to Auntie's reminder, Jinglu had forgotten the date and didn't realize that today was the first day of the month!" Jinzi got up and turned around, holding Auntie's hand, with a smile in his eyes, the amber-colored pupils shining brightly under the morning light, like flowing spring water.

  Mother Zhu was delighted that her daughter-in-law could understand her kindness, and after patting Jinzi's hand, she turned to Xixi with a smile and instructed: "Help your daughter-in-law find a set of Confucian clothes, take the purple one that Master sent over three days ago, the color is bright and matches your daughter-in-law's skin tone!"

  Smiling mischievously and winking her eyes, she replied: "Mother, you're too late with your orders, I've been ready since early morning!"

  Originally thought that after the daughter-in-law finished dressing up, she would go out to sell paintings with the draft, so she naturally had to dress more brightly, and early on took out the new purple orchid dress.

  "You're so clever!" Mother Zhang said with a slanted smile and a hint of reproach.

  After everything was properly dressed, Jinzi stood up and looked at himself in the mirror, and he was really startled.

  A purple cheongsam made of cloud-patterned gauze and satin, with a skirt that flows to the ground like mist. The collar and cuffs are trimmed with silver cloud-patterned satin piping, which restrains the overly ethereal atmosphere, yet remains elegant and dignified.

  "This is the kind of attire a noble daughter like you should have! But even if you wore plain linen robes in the past, they couldn't conceal your beauty one bit!" She gazed at Jinzi with a smile, lost in thought for a moment before swallowing her saliva and blurting out a sentence.

  "The young lady is a perfect replica of her mother, with skin as white as jade and naturally fair complexion, no need to learn from others how to apply makeup!" Mother Zhang couldn't help but smile and praise sincerely.

  Jinzi gazed at the reflection of herself in the mirror, and couldn't help but secretly admire how stunning Jin Sanniang looked. If she were to dress up meticulously, she would be a ravishing beauty capable of captivating cities. Cuimama said that Jin Sanniang had inherited her mother Liu's good looks, especially those bright and beautiful amber-colored eyes. Could this be the reason why Linshi was jealous and resentful?

  But she just liked Jin Huachin very much, who was also a descendant of the Liu family. Why did she only dislike Jin Sanniang and like Jin Huachin?

  Kinoko slightly turned his eyes and suddenly understood.

  First, it cannot be ruled out that the same sex repels and the opposite sex attracts. Jin San Niang was born with a good appearance, which reminded Lin Shi of Liu Shi, who occupied an irreplaceable position in her husband Jin Yuanxin's heart, making him even more disgusted with Jin San Niang.

  Jin Hwang-jin was a man, especially the eldest son of the legitimate wife, and his status was naturally not ordinary.

  Lin's family had two more daughters, if she wanted to have something to rely on in her old age, she naturally needed a son. Without a son, she was nothing, not even comparable to Song Niang. So after Liu died, she hastily extended an olive branch to Jin Huangqin, with a showy display of maternal love and generosity. This move was simply to buy people's hearts, winning over Jin Yuan's heart and Jin Huangqin's heart, while also driving a wedge into the already strained relationship between the siblings.

  Can't help but say, Lin's acting skills are truly impressive!

  Jinzi's mouth hooked slightly as he said to Zhuang Mama, "Let Xiaoxiao accompany me over there, Zhuang Mama can go ahead and have dinner first!"

  Mother agreed and turned around to open the door for Jinzi.

  The outside is warm and sunny, with a cozy atmosphere.

  Xiao Xiao supported Jinzi and slowly walked out of the courtyard, heading in the direction of Qing Rong's courtyard.