Chapter 456: Trifling Matters in the Estate (1)

Chu Lian followed Matriarch He and the others into Qingxi Hall.

She had gone to the northern border with a mission. Although her letters had already informed the elders in the family of important matters such as the war or the Snow Mountain Mists flower, there were many details Matriarch He was unsure of and wanted to hear straight from the source.

In Qingxi Hall, everyone was seated while Chu Lian was pulled to sit by Matriarch He's side.

The matriarch took a good look at Chu Lian from head to toe. It had only been half a year since they last met, but Chu Lian had actually changed a lot in that time.

The baby fat on her face had receded, leaving only the charm and delicate beauty of a young lady.

Her almond-shaped eyes were like clear springs, giving the impression that she could see through one's heart. Her figure had also become even more shapely than when she had left home. Although she had slimmed down a little, her body was more like an hourglass now.

Her simple, unadorned robes were unable to conceal her resplendent beauty.

The matriarch nodded inwardly. This journey had forged her granddaughter-in-law's inner radiance. When she was younger, she had travelled extensively with the previous Count, fighting on the battlefield and killing bandits and foes. She had only settled down into the inner court when she had grown older. If not for the perspective she had gained from her time journeying in her youth that put her in a different league from other noble ladies, she wouldn't have been able to build such a large empire for House Jing'an when she returned to the capital.

That was why she believed that ladies should not be confined to the boundaries of their own courtyard. Ladies also had to get out of their comfort zone and experience the outside world. It was precisely this train of thought that led her to allow Sanlang's wife to embark on the journey to the north.

Discovering this change in Chu Lian obviously made her happy.

As the matriarch looked at her lovable granddaughter-in-law, her gaze subconsciously drifted to Chu Lian's flat tummy. When she noticed Chu Lian's broad belt emphasizing her slender waist, she couldn't help but reveal a tiny bit of disappointment in her eyes.

The fact that she was wearing such a tight-fitting outfit meant that she definitely wasn't pregnant...

While the matriarch was sizing up Chu Lian, Chu Lian had been watching her with a smile.

Thus, she had immediately caught that speck of disappointment in the matriarch's eyes. She didn't show any reaction to what she had noticed, but she took down a mental note.

Compared to how Chu Lian had grown taller and become more beautiful, Matriarch He on the other hand, looked much older than before.

Her grey hair had faded completely into white. The number of wrinkles on her round face seemed to have increased significantly. Her robes also seemed loose on her, indicating that she had lost a fair bit of weight. These observations made Chu Lian sigh inside.

Before the matriarch could speak, Chu Lian asked, "Grandmother, you haven't introduced Aunt to me yet!"

It was only then that Matriarch He returned to reality. She smacked her own thigh in vexation, "Oh dear me, my mind isn't what it used to be. I've become more forgetful in my old age."

She took Chu Lian's slender white hand into hers and pointed towards the middle-aged woman next to her. In a friendly tone, she introduced, "Sanlang's wife, this is your aunt, she became a widow several years ago. This autumn, I sent some servants to bring her back from Siyang. The lady over there is your cousin, Miss Pan, the sole daughter of your aunt. She was born just two months after you, so the two of you are of the same age. Do take care of her in the future."

Chu Lian stood up to give her aunt-in-law, He Ying, a formal greeting before turning to Pan Nianzhen to give a less formal curtsey towards her peer.

If not for the sake of giving Matriarch He face, Chu Lian didn't have to greet them so respectfully at all. Setting aside the fact that He Changdi's new title of Marquis meant that she was now a Marchioness, she already had the title of Honoured Lady Jinyi. With her noble title, she didn't need to curtsey to He Ying and her daughter, who were practically commoners.

He Ying looked at the plainly dressed Chu Lian and nodded haughtily. Although Pan Nianzhen was jealous of Chu Lian, she was a timid person at heart, so she stood up properly to return the curtsey and greeted her, "Third Cousin".

Chu Lian shot Xiyan a look and the handmaid promptly hurried forward to hand over two exquisite pouches to her.

She gave one pouch to her aunt-in-law He Ying, and the other to Pan Nianzhen. With a smile, Chu Lian said, "These are just some trinkets I purchased in Su City. I hope Aunt and Cousin will like these."

He Ying opened the pouch on the spot, and dumped out what was inside onto her palm. It was a white jade bangle. Judging from the smooth and glossy surface, she could tell that it was made of high grade white jade at first glance. The arrogance in her eyes finally faded a little as satisfaction shone in her gaze.

However, the fact that she didn't even thank Chu Lian made the matriarch throw a few looks her way for a bit.

Chu Lian was stunned for a moment by the lack of reaction from the two. Eventually, she let it go and went back to her own seat calmly.

Chu Lian told them about her experiences at the northern border. But of course, she hid some major events such as getting kidnapped, opening a market at the north, and He Changdi getting hurt.

An hour later, Matriarch He was visibly getting tired, so Chu Lian tactfully mentioned that she wanted to return to Songtao Court to settle some tasks.

Matriarch He allowed her to leave and told her to have a good rest. After some other pleasantries, she asked Chu Lian to have dinner here in Qingxi Hall later with He Changdi.