Chapter 22: Chapter 22: Plain Soup

Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

Concubine Hua quickly comforted her daughter, “How can you be so impatient? You’re the daughter of the Jiang family, a noble lady. You should present yourself as a knowledgeable, well-mannered, and virtuous young lady. How would you be able to attract the eyes of the nobles in the palace and attract the heart of His Highness Prince Yu if you act so rashly and violently?”

“Mother, what are you saying?” Jiang Yuan’s heart stopped, hope shining in her eyes.

‘Is Mother implying…’

“My silly daughter, don’t you understand what your father is trying to say?” Concubine Hua asked as she could not suppress her joy. “Your father said all those things so we could prepare well for the consort selection. He placed his trust in us to not let him down.”

“Mother, are you saying that… I’ll be chosen?” Jiang Yuan could feel her heart soaring from her chest.

‘Is that what Father really meant?’

“Do you still need to ask? As the Minister of Revenue, your father has a close relationship with the Emperor. It’s not impossible for him to have some connections in the palace. Otherwise, your father wouldn’t have said such things.” Concubine Hua patted her daughter’s head fondly. “Besides, my daughter is so beautiful. You will draw everyone’s attention. The Prince will not be able to take his eyes off you.”

Jiang Yuan was overjoyed and pleased by her mother’s compliment. But once she was reminded of the new resident in her home, the Fifth Lady couldn’t help but immediately deflate, “I was so sure of my standing in the family and believedI was the best among the Jiang sisters. But Mother,you also saw Jiang Ning… She looks so much like Madam.”

Concubine Hua’s smile twitched at the mention of this, and her heart sank. She couldn’t deny that fact, but what kind of mother would she be to let her daughter be so unsure of herself?

“Madam was indeed the most beautiful woman in Chang’an City when she was young. Yet she has withered and turned haggard. Nobody expects her daughter to be even lovelier than her. It’s no wonder your father quickly dotes on her so much.”

By the admission, Jiang Yuan’s mood sank even further.

“I’m no longer in Father’s eyes now that she’s here,” Jiang Yuan said sadly at the unfairness of it all.

“Don’t belittle yourself. She has nothing but her face. Moreover, she is disabled and can only sit in a wheelchair or walk with a cane. You, on the other hand, are my perfect daughter. The Jiang family still has to count on you for the selection.” Concubine Hua said triumphantly, “My Yuan Yuan is still the most outstanding lady in the Jiang family. When you become Prince Yu’s consort, no one will be able to surpass you. Not the Madam or the Seventh Lady.”

Jiang Yuan soared once more at her mother’s trust.

“So, we have to bear with it for now. Let’s head over to the purple bamboo garden and get this done and over it. We will have time to vent our anger on them after the consort selection is over.”

She called a servant girl to pack up two sets of dresses and asked Jiang Yuan to carry them.

Jiang Yuan pouted, “Didn’t you see how poor the Seventh Lady is? I don’t think she’s ever worn such high-quality dresses in her life.”

“Hush, my daughter! Don’t say such things out in the open. Your father wouldn’t be happy if he caught you saying these things. Remember, we must be patient for now.”

“Yes, Mother.”

“Let us leave. We’ll visit them before the sky turns dark.”

The mother and daughter went together to the purple bamboo garden with heavy feet and anger still strewn in their hearts.

Meanwhile, Jiang Ning was having dinner with Lin Zizi. There were four or five plates of stew on the table, most of which were plain soup and only a small bowl of egg custard in place of meat.

It was an eye-opening experience for Jiang Ning. Not that the dinner etiquette was complicated, but it was the fact that there was little to no flavor in any of the food the servants prepared for them.

She finally realized that the food in this dynasty was rather “basic”. There was no particular attention to cooking, none of the spices were being used, and the dishes only consisted of different variants of stewed vegetables.

No wonder old Li and little Qian liked to eat her cooking so much.

Jiang Ning noticed that Lin Zizi didn’t eat a lot. She only ate two mouthfuls of the small bowl of millet congee and smiled as she watched Jiang Ning eat. From time to time, she would even add more food to her bowl.

Jiang Ning was feeling nauseous, but she couldn’t really refuse her. Not with how eager and happier the Madam looked every time she accepted the offer. She slowly sipped a few spoons of soup so the Madam wouldn’t add more too quickly.

They mostly ate in companionable silence until a servant girl came to interrupt. She informed them that Concubine Hua and the Fifth lady had come by to give them a visit.

Lin Zizi didn’t react to the news. In fact, she didn’t seem to hear the maid as the older woman continued to stare at Jiang Ning with a gentle gaze.

“Did they say why they were here?” Jiang Ning asked.

“They said they wanted to apologize to the Madam and the Young Lady.”

“Apologize?” Not sure whether the Madam would be bothered by their visitor, Jiang Ning turned to Lin Zizi, “Madam, should we let them in?”

“It doesn’t matter,” Lin Zizi replied nonchalantly.

“Since they’re here to apologize, let them in,” Jiang Ning said.

As soon as Concubine Hua and her daughter came in, their smiles were as warm as the spring breeze in March. Their previous ire and domineering appearance were nowhere to be seen.