Time Travel: The Noble Family-Chapter 252 - 99 Separating from Oneself_3
Chapter 252: Chapter 99: Separating from Oneself_3
Chapter 252: Chapter 99: Separating from Oneself_3
Upon these words, the room was pervaded with dark clouds.
After the Old Madam awoke, her complexion grew even worse, but seeing the wailing throughout the room, she immediately frowned and said, “I’m not dead yet, what are you crying for, stop crying, all of you!”
The wailing in the room subsided instantly. The Old Madam, feeling somewhat exhausted, waved her hand and said, “You may all leave now! I won’t be dying anytime soon, having so many people around makes me dizzy.”
Zhuang Ruolan caressed her belly, her heart softened, this was her child, the continuation of her life. Ruolan carefully touched her belly, “Little one, in another seven months you will come out, be good for now!” Ever since discovering she was pregnant, Ruolan spoke to her child every day.
Cai Yun came in and said, “Young lady, Cousin Miss sent someone to inquire about your well-being.” Naturally, this Cousin Miss was Yueyao.
Nanny Hao, after inquiring about Zhuang Ruolan’s well-being, said, “Originally, Miss intended to come herself, but since the Old Madam is unwell, she could not come personally. Miss asks that you not feel slighted.”
Zhuang Ruolan smiled and said, “I won’t feel slighted.”
After Nanny Hao left, Ruolan, looking at the gifts Yueyao had sent, whispered, “It really is thoughtful.” The gift isn’t about its weight or its refinement, but all about the thought.
Shortly afterward, Ruolan’s Wet Nurse, Nanny Xin, came in and softly reminded Ruolan, “Miss, now that the pregnancy has stabilized, you should make plans early.” Nanny Xin meant for Ruolan to arrange a concubine early on, as it was typical for a wife during pregnancy to make such arrangements.
Cai Yun looked coldly at Nanny Xin, “Talking about making plans so early, it really is like bringing up what’s most inappropriate, isn’t this intentionally making the miss upset? Nanny Xin is becoming less and less sensitive.”
Ruolan wasn’t very attached to this wet nurse. At the age of three, Ruolan had taken her brother to the Duke Mansion, and none of her personal attendants, including the wet nurse and personal maid, followed them; returning to the Zhuang Residence was something that happened nine years later.
Over the years, Nanny Xin had always tread cautiously, never daring to boss Ruolan around, which was why she remained. Zhuang Ruolan kept her not out of nostalgic sentiment—for someone barely remembered, what sentiment could there be?—but because Zhuang Ruolan did not want others to think her heartlessly ungrateful, hence she treated Nanny Xin decently on the surface.
Zhuang Ruolan blandly said, “Thank you for your concern, but I am aware of it.” Anyone would likely show displeasure to someone advising them to allow their husband to take a concubine.
That same night, Zhuang Ruolan suggested to Ma Peng that they bring Chu Xia back. Ma Peng asked curiously, “Why suddenly bring them up? They are fine staying at the manor.”
Ruolan smiled and said, “I am pregnant and it’s inconvenient for me to attend to you now. Having them back will also be good for attending to you.” With familiar faces around, she believed no further issues would be raised about the matter. Bringing back familiar faces was better than letting her husband take a new person.
Ma Peng shook his head and said, “You are pregnant now, caring for your health is the utmost importance, do not think about these messy matters.” Ma Peng was not a lascivious man and having won such a good wife years ago, he had eyes for no other since then.
Ma Peng was not a man of sweet words, but he would show it through his actions.
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Ruo Lan saw that Ma Peng did not take the two people seriously and felt relieved about it. However, Zhuang Ruolan did not heed Ma Peng’s advice but instead sent someone to the manor to bring Chu Xia back. Since Chu Liu had gained such a reputation, it was definite she could not return. Ruo Lan planned to find a family to marry off Chu Liu, which could be seen as accumulating merit for the unborn child. As for Chu Xia, if she was honest and sincere, Ruo Lan was not against accepting her. If not, dealing with a concubine was not a troublesome matter.
The Old Madam had been quietly recuperating for a few days, and when her health improved slightly, she instructed Qiao Ru to call Lian Dongfang and Lady Mo, as well as the young ladies of the house. However, she did not call any grandsons.
Listening to the Old Madam’s words, Yueyao felt heavily suffocated. What was her grandmother doing? It seemed like she was giving last instructions, as if she already knew her time was coming soon? Yueyao felt panicked, and tears uncontrollably streamed down her face.
The Old Madam did not ask Qiao Xue and the other maids to open trunks and chests, as it was unnecessary. It wasn’t that the Old Madam had few possessions; on the contrary, she came from a noble family and had married into the Lian family during their prime. Later, after dividing the family assets, she received a significant portion, and over the years, her son had bestowed her with many gifts, accumulating quite a fortune in private money.
The Old Madam said to the young ladies in the room, “I am well aware of my own physical condition, so while I still breathe, I want to distribute these things.” Originally, with only one son left, everything would have been inherited by him without need for division, but thinking of Lady Mo’s behavior, Old Madam Lian decided it was better to divide them to set her mind at ease.
Everyone knew the Old Madam was going to distribute her personal assets, and they were puzzled—wasn’t she supposed to open the trunks and chests for such an occasion? Yet, there were no chests or trunks in the room.
Once the Old Madam had allocated the items, everyone understood why there was no need to move any chests out—it was simply unnecessary.
First, the Old Madam allocated dowries to her granddaughters: Yueyao and Yuebing received six thousand taels of silver and four cases of jewelry; Yueying and Yuehuan only received three thousand taels of silver and two cases of jewelry. In the Lian family, legitimate children always received twice as much as children born out of wedlock, which was quite normal.
Yuebing was slightly thrilled after receiving so much, but seeing Yueyao, who did not even twitch an eyebrow in comparison, made her own reaction seem less worldly. Yuebing immediately subdued her expression and made no further actions.
Yuehuan was somewhat surprised; she hadn’t expected to receive anything. When compared to Yueyao and Yuebing, hers was half as much, but by now she knew three thousand taels was not a small sum. Although her grandmother had always treated her as invisible, she was genuinely regarded as a granddaughter. Yuehuan felt moved; with this silver, she would not have to always think about earning money. The three thousand taels would last her for several years.
The only one with a clouded expression was Yueying, but with so many people present, Yueying dared not show any emotions, as her father would be the first to reprimand her. All Yueying could do was lower her head so others could not see her feelings.
The Old Madam said to Lian Dongfang, “Tingzheng is the sole blood of the second branch, and as his grandmother, I must not let him down. I give Tingzheng ten acres of good farmland, ten thousand taels of silver, and the Changan Alley residence.” If Lian Dongbo was still here, these properties would have been split in half. But now, with Lian Dongbo gone and the second branch having only Tingzheng while the main branch had five heirs, splitting in half would leave the main branch at a loss.
Lian Dongfang responded, “My son will listen to his mother.”
The Old Madam nodded, what she had just distributed was the lesser part; the bulk remained. How Tingli and Tingyi would divide it in the future was for her son to handle. The marriages of the grandsons from the main branch would also be his concern; she would no longer interfere, nor could she. She then said, “Qiao Ru, hand these items directly to them; Tingzheng’s share should be kept by Yueyao.”
Yueyao knew that the amount the Old Madam was distributing was not substantial. Her father had contributed a large sum each year, plus half of the second branch’s fortune. This was a significant amount of money. Additionally, the Old Madam had a considerable dowry and had also inherited from the Great Ancestral Mother. Altogether, this represented a substantial fortune.
Compared to that fortune, what she and her brother had received was merely a fraction.
Yueyao did not complain; since their father had passed, only she and her brother were left. That they had received this much was already due to the Old Madam’s extra care. In her previous life, she had not received a penny. Now, at least she and her brother had obtained sixteen thousand taels of silver and four cases of jewelry.
