Mrs. Pei was hesitating, but Od Madam Song first said, "Why doesn"t Changfeng come today?"
Compared with others, Madam Song could pay her respects later according to the practice since she was in charge of the household, which was also the special permission granted by Old Madam Song. However, everyone else had to get there earlier because this established rule had been in effect for over a decade. Without seeing Wei Changfeng at the moment, the Old Madam Song asked naturally.
However, Old Madam Song"s tone was not exasperated, but concerned because Changfeng was her first grandchild.
Hearing this, Wei Changying was also stunned. She looked at Song Zaishui and said, "I don"t know."
Song Zaishui replied in a low voice, "Just at noon, cousin Changfeng went to Mingse House to find me, but later I did not see him when I went to the Xianshuang Court to find cousin Changying."
Old Madam Song frowned and said, "Find out quickly. Isn"t this child hot? That"s why he doesn"t come?"
Chen Ruping knew that the first daughter and son of the eldest branch were the apples of Old Madam Song. After all, Wei Zhenghong now kept alive by resting and hundred-year-old ginseng. The kindred of the eldest branch was also counting on Wei Changying and Wei Changfeng. Daring not neglect and be careless, she said, "I will go get him!"
But she moved one step when Wei Changfeng burst in sweating and shouted, "Grandmother. I"m late!"
Old Madam Song was shocked and heartbroken when she saw his handsome face flushed with heat, having sweat on the forehead. His blue crepe robe had been soaked with sweat and stuck to his chest. She said repeatedly, "Slow down. Slow down. Take your time… Come here and let me wipe your sweat first!"
After calling Wei Changfeng to her, she wiped his sweat with the handkerchief, and called for a temporary withdrawal of the two ice tanks, lest Wei Changfeng was too hot to force the heat poison out of the body after suddenly entering into the cold room.
Seeing Wei Changfeng was slightly relieved, Wei Changying asked, "Changfeng, where were you just now? Why are you late?"
Wei Changfeng gulped tea in the bowl handed over by his grandmother and put it down before saying, "I missed the time due to a little sleep. I didn"t want to be late, so I ran all the way."
Hearing this, Old Madam Song hurried to blame, "It won"t be a big thing if you are late. Why did you run so fast? Your health comes first." After saying the words, she continued to say, "The servants care nothing about the master! How can they burden this if the master falls due to fast running? Such kind of mindless stuff!"
She said to Chen Ruping, "You give them a lesson soon, making them clearly understand that servant is servant, regardless of the age of the master!"
Wei Changfeng smiled and said, "How can they bully me? I went to see my elder sister once before, but I got tired after returning. I told them not to disturb me when sleeping. They obeyed my order and did not dare to wake me up. So I was late, and they were even more afraid to stop me from running."
Hearing this, Old Madam Song was more angry, knowing he said so for exonerating his servants, "Look at you! You are too young to catch the foxy mind of these cunning servants! They are afraid of being punished, so they do everything you ask! This kind of servant, caring nothing but themselves instead of the master! Why not punish them?"
Madam Song stepped in when hearing the word "punishment". She subconsciously asked, "Who will you punish, mother?"
Old Madam Song gave Madam Song a caring look. She made Madam Song pretty decent for her ident.i.ty as the first niece and the first daughter-in-law. Old Madam Song said, "You must be hot after the long way. Eat some fruit to cool."
Madam Song smiled and saluted. After thanking Old Madam Song, she sat down and asked again, "Did you just say to punish? Who is so careless?" When asking, she stared at her daughter.
Wei Changying was standing behind Old Madam Song. Seeing this, she vomited her tongue playfully at her mother, with a smug expression, for believing that she was backed by her grandmother.
Madam Song was heartbroken when seeing her face was still red for the strong sunlight at noon. However, seeing that she was so unrepentant, Madam Song was so angry and resentful. She secretly said, "This naughty girl, is she sure I won"t punish her for the impolite behaviors? I will… give her a lesson sooner or later! I will not relent next time!"
Thinking like this, Madam Song also knew very well that she planned to do this not just for once or twice. However, she always couldn"t win the daughter in perseverance. Whenever punished, Wei Changying could insist while Madam Song was heartbroken enough and tried every means to remove the punishment.
How could Wei Changying fear for her punishment after that?
But the child would marry next year… How could she live with husband"s family?
Thinking like this, Madam Song missed half of what Old Madam Song said just now. Old Madam Song had already finished her words when she noticed, "… How can these selfish servants avoid punishment?"
"That"s right," Regretting in the mind that she was distracted just now, Madam Song came back her consciousness, said repeatedly according to Old Madam Song"s words, "But… what"s the punishment? Any clue, mother?"
Giving her a look, Old Madam Song said, "You are Changfeng"s natural mother. It"s up to you about how to punish or fire them."
Did it turn out to have something to do with Changfeng? What Old Madam Song said just now seemed to the servants of Changfeng. Planning to ask in detail later, Madam Song nodded at once.
After caring about the grandchild, Old Madam Song asked Mrs. Pei, "You seemed to say something when you entered. What"s wrong?"
Mrs. Pei was suddenly shocked. Although her birth was not as outstanding as that of the Wei Family, she was the descendant of the Pei Family having the history of five-generation officials, even the sixth generation now. The ability to master the expression was learned from her childhood. What"s more, when entering the door, Mrs. Pei clearly found that Old Madam Song was in a bad mood today, even a little absent-minded.
Under such circ.u.mstances, it could be found that how cunning Old Madam Song was through observing subtly the third daughter-in-law"s thoughts!
After a pause, Mrs. Pei softly said, "Nothing can be hidden from you, my mother. I do have something to require you to help." Saying like this, she looked at the Fourth Miss, Wei Gaochan, showing a difficult color. She said, "Gaochan is 17 as well…"
Everyone knew why the girl"s age was suddenly mentioned. They subconsciously looked at Wei Gaochan, who couldn"t help blushing. In front of the stern grandmother, she dared not say something to her mom. She had to pinch the handkerchief, trying to disguise the appearance of caring nothing.
Hearing this, Old Madam Song did not know why, but a stern sense flashed through her eyes, which startled Madam Song and Mrs. Pei.
After a while, Old Madam Song gathered vigor and said lightly, "I know. I know this in the mind, too. However, Changying hasn"t married, yet. What"s the hurry?"
Obviously, some of Mrs. Pei"s words made the old lady song annoyed, "What"s the hurry", the three words choked Mrs. Pei while with face flushed bright red. Wei Gaochan was swaying and almost fell to tears on the spot!
Wei Changying was the second according to the ranking of Wei Huan"s granddaughters while the third according to the ranking of the whole Ruiyu Hall, although she was the first daughter of the first Madam. She was also called the First Miss. Her ranks in both methods were just before Wei Gaochan.
The reason for this was, of course, because Wei Zhenghong was so weak that he made Madam Song give birth to Wei Changying nine years after Madam Song entered the Wei Family. So, Wei Changwan, the eldest daughter of the wife of the second branch, who had two big brothers, was regarded as the eldest daughter of Ruiyu Hall.
However, it was also because Wei Changwan had two brothers. Before Wei Changying and Wei Changfeng were born, Wei Shengyi thought the chance that Wei Zhenghong had children was small. So he privately mentioned to Wei Huan that his second son of the wife could be adopted to the first branch. This matter was not hidden from Old Madam Song who had bright eyes and sharp ears.
In the Old Madam Song"s view, this was naturally Wei Shengyi coveted the t.i.tles of Ruiyu Hall and Duke Changshan that should belong to her first son, along with cursing on Wei Zhenghong died early without children.
At that time, Old Madam Song was worried about her only child who married after growing up. Naturally, she flew into a rage! This was finally past after Wei Shengyi kneeled down in the pouring rain in front of Old Madam Song for four days and nights and Wei Huan helped to beg for forgiveness. But since then, Old Madam Song had been clearly displeased with the second branch.
After Wei Changying was born, Old Madam Song still remembered the events of that year and deliberately let the people around her and the servants of the eldest branch call Wei Changying the First Miss. For the real First Miss, Wei Changwan, they were asked to call her Miss Wan lightly. They called Wei Changwan"s maiden name directly that sounded like a Miss outside who lived in the Wei Family.
It could be seen that Old Madam Song had deep resentment towards the second branch.
According to the ranking of Ruiyu Hall, Wei Gaochan, who was the Fourth Miss, was only 2 months junior to Wei Changying.
When Wei Changying was still a baby, Wei Huan returned to his hometown. Before returning home, he happened to meet Shen Cangfeng who was three years old, the first son of one of the senior commanders, Grand Preceptor Shen Xuan. Because he felt that although the child was young, he had a fantastic temperament. He thought that the child would achieve something in the future, so he recommended the marriage with Shen Xuan. Shen Xuan took down a pair of the jade pendants with embossed leaf and flower patterns as tokens and proposed Wei Changying as the wife for Shen Cangfeng.
Last year, the Shen Family sent people to Fengzhou and agreed with the Wei Family to come to Fengzhou to marry when Shen Cangfeng was twenty years old. What Wei Changying needed to do was to prepare to marry. However, Wei Gaochan was not the same. She was at the same age as Wei Changying and was the eldest daughter of a concubine of the third branch. Although her mother paid attention to reputation and did not mistreat her, she was always in second place in marriage.
Originally, as early as a few years ago, it was about to start to talk about her marriage. However, Wei Gaochan"s biological mother pa.s.sed away when she was14, and this dynasty was very filial. Even though her biological mother was humble, her children were still forbidden to marry for three years after her death.
The pedigree, like the Wei Family, paid special attention to such kinds of things, so Wei Gaochan did not finish her filial piety until the last two months. Mrs. Pei did not mention her marriage either until today.
But obviously, this was not a good chance to put forward.
Madam Song had to wink at her daughter because the sudden harsh words of Old Madam Song made the whole hall quiet.
Knowing her mother"s meaning, Wei Changying smiled, pulled up Old Madam Song"s clothes and said, "Grandmother, it seems that you can"t wait to send me out. Is it not good for me to stay at home with you?"
"Every girl should marry when she is at a suitable age." Old Madam Song did give her first granddaughter respect. Although her face was still not very gentle, her tone was relaxed. She gave the third Madam a step and said, "You are so. So is Gaochan. I will bear it in mind, and I won"t delay it."
Mrs. Pei gave a sigh of relief and said with a chuckle, "It turns out that you have been thinking about this matter, mother. It"s my fault. I didn"t tell you about this until today."
Old Madam Song said flatly, "It"s nothing. I"m a little tired today. I"ll discuss it later." This was to drive them out of the door.
Hearing this, Madam Song and Mrs. Pei naturally gave their children a wink to retire.
However, Old Madam Song lifted her eyelids and looked at Madam Song. She added, "Yuwei, you stay and rub my shoulder."
Yuwei was Madam Song"s maiden name. Hearing this, they knew that Old Madam Song had something to discuss with Madam Song. Mrs. Pei flashed a trace of envy in the eye, but also knew that Old Madam Song"s att.i.tude to the first Madam was different from that to others.
What"s more, Madam Song was her niece.
Therefore although Mrs. Pei envied, she just thought for a moment, looking as usual and retiring.
However, Mrs. Pei did not know that Old Madam Song would say something not good after she left Madam Song.