Xiu and Xiao Yu led them to the main hall. When they got there, w.a.n.g Luo Hai had just arrived along with his women. Yao Ying and Yao Ling greeted them politely just like how they used to be.
w.a.n.g Luo Hai laughed merrily and patted Yao Ying"s shoulder, "You don"t need to bow that low. We are a father and son now." Then he turned to Yao Ling, "And you are my daughter-in-law." Yao Ying and Yao Ling both smiled at him and nodded in agreement.
"I"m sorry, Father-in-law. It"s a habit," Yao Ling explained, feeling a bit embarra.s.sed.
"No worry… no worry… you can change it slowly," w.a.n.g Luo Hai smiled.
"Come on! Let"s go inside the main hall." w.a.n.g Luo Hai led them to the main hall and everyone followed him.
They waited for the matriarch for a little while, before she finally appeared. Yao Ying, as a man, didn"t really pay attention to the Matriarch. For him, she"s just an old lady. However, Yao Ling paid attention to every detail.
The matriarch"s black hair had a hint of white hair here and there, but her face! She looked younger from her real age and not to mention… beautiful. She"s supposed to be fifty-eight years old. Yao Ling finally knew from where w.a.n.g Luo Hai got his handsome look. If you didn"t look at a slight wrinkle on the corner of her eyes and smiling line around her mouth, she could pa.s.s as young as thirty years old woman.
When she walked, her face was slightly raised. She was looking a bit proud, but not annoyingly arrogant. Her walk posture was the epitome of elegance. Yao Ling was in a trance. In her village, the old women there looked wrinkly and usually, their backs were slightly bent, maybe because they had to work hard on the field every day.
She forgot where she was and praised the Matriarch, "How beautiful!" She said that from the bottom of her heart without trying to curry favor. Yao Ling was usually very blunt, so it was no surprise to Yao Ying. He nudged her to remind her to behave.
It seemed like her voice wasn"t low enough, because the matriarch laughed after she turned around and sat down on the head table. When Yao Ling realized that the matriarch was laughing at her, she lowered her head in embarra.s.sment.
The matriarch had been living long enough to understand people"s character. She could hear a hint of sincerity in Yao Ling"s voice; she genuinely praised her. Which woman didn"t like to be called beautiful, especially when she already felt she was getting older?
The matriarch wasn"t stupid. If she heard a trace of currying favor, she wouldn"t like her. But this Yao Ling proved her otherwise. She also already heard how her talent in embroidery was really good and she also started to teach a few embroiderers under her to lessen her burden on ma.s.sive orders.
w.a.n.g Luo Hai led everyone in the room to pay morning respect to the matriarch. Then he introduced his new son and daughter-in-law, "Mother, this is Yao Ying and Yao Ling. I"m asking your permission to let them become a part of this family as my son and daughter-in-law."
Even though he was the one in charge of the family, w.a.n.g Luo Hai always put filial piety first. His mother was in charge of inner yard family matters, so this matter had to get pa.s.s through her first.
"Grandson meets Grandmother."
"Granddaughter-in-law meets Grandmother."
The matriarch nodded and received their respect. Although Yao Ling"s posture was a bit wrong, she didn"t pick on her. She noted it and knew she had to send someone to teach her etiquette. When both of them became a part of this family, they had to know the certain etiquette as not to let them embarra.s.s the w.a.n.g family name.
As a merchant family, their standing wasn"t as high as n.o.ble families, but they dealt a lot with the person from upper cla.s.s. The Matriarch was actually the late Empress" younger sister, but she fell in love with w.a.n.g Luo Hai"s father – a mere merchant. She didn"t mind even she had a lower standing, but for her, etiquette was still important.
"Let me take a look at both of your face clearly." The matriarch gestured them to come closer. Both dutifully came closer to her, but still didn"t dare to raise their head.
"Raise your head!"
Both of them raised their head. Both of them actually felt quite nervous, because the higher cla.s.s families had more rules and regulations. They weren"t used to it.
The matriarch looked at the girl in front of her and admired her beauty. In two or three more years, she was sure Yao Ling would become more and more beautiful. Her eyes were pure and crystal clear, without any hints of viciousness. She liked this girl.
When her gaze landed on Yao Ying, she scrutinized him. A healthy handsome young man with a beautiful wife and had great business talents. Everything about him was likable too, but the matriarch felt not sure with his past. He lost his memory so she couldn"t do a background check and it made her anxious, but their story was all true.
Yao Ling and her deceased mother helped him, then all the events that led to their marriage. After she listened to w.a.n.g Luo Hai"s wish to make them his heir, she dispatched people to check on them. She had to make sure they didn"t bring in wolves under sheepskin. She knew w.a.n.g Luo Hai must have done it too, but she needed to double check in case they missed something.
Yao Ying and Yao Ling felt nervous under the matriarch"s sharp gaze. They sighed in relief when they saw her laugh.
"Good! I like you both. My son has a good judgment," she praised his son sincerely. She could see both of them were good kids, only Yao Ying"s unclear past that kept weighing at the back of her mind. She couldn"t blame Yao Ying about this, so she could only wish his past wasn"t bad.
"Thank you, Grandmother," both said at the same time.
Yao Ling understood the position inside the household. Yao Ying wouldn"t have much chance to get in touch with the inner yard; he would be busy dealing their business with w.a.n.g Luo Hai. She was the one who had to deal with the women every day and got a foothold for themselves in this household. She had to hold tightly onto this golden thigh in front of her – her new grandmother.
That"s the only way they would be at peace in this family. If the head of the family didn"t like her, it would be a disaster. It would also affect Yao Ying.