Time Travel: The Noble Family
Chapter 593 - 237 Visiting Zhaohua Temple Again

Chapter 593: 237 Visiting Zhaohua Temple Again

Ruo Lan looked at her boudoir and said with a smile, "In the blink of an eye, three years have passed." She used to always wonder what the future would look like, but now she is the mother of two children.

Cai Yi added an oil lamp and said, "It’s a great joy that the young lady and Old Master have resolved their differences."

Ruo Lan looked at Cai Yi and smiled. Cai Yi and Cai Yun had been with her for twelve years, and both had turned twenty after the new year; it was time to arrange their marriages.

Cai Yun was steady, so Ruo Lan betrothed her to the eldest son of Shopkeeper Chen from the Fabric Shop. Cai Yi was more capricious, and Ruo Lan felt she was not suitable for the role of a principal wife. When the Chief Steward Ma Yuan came seeking a bride for his youngest son, she took the opportunity to agree.

Cai Yi blushed.

Ruo Lan said with a smile, "Take the time now to finish embroidering your dowries." The days for the maids’ weddings were set in February and March respectively. Having been by her side for so many years, their feelings for her were naturally incomparable to ordinary people.

Outside, a maid came and said, "Miss, the young master has arrived and is now speaking with the Old Master." The maid, having received Ruo Lan’s reward, was also beaming with joy.

Upon seeing Ma Peng, Ruo Lan chided, "You came too, but what about the children?" Ruo Lan had left Cai Yun to look after the children, confident that if anything arose, the little maid would come. Yet, having only been away a few hours, Ruo Lan was terribly anxious.

Ma Peng laughed and said, "I just came from the mansion, the children are all fine, you don’t have to worry. It’s rare for you to come home, don’t be concerned."

The couple enjoyed a peaceful night’s sleep.

The next day, Yueyao did not attend the banquet at Ma’s Mansion. This time, Yueyao straightforwardly stated her intentions to take care of the two children, staying in the Main Courtyard to accompany Keyue. As for Yanqi, he was well, eating and sleeping with the wet nurse looking after him without any issue.

While playing with Keyue, Xi Juan came and said, "Miss, most of the guests invited by Old Madam didn’t come."

Yueyao was surprised and asked, "What happened?"

It turned out that the invitations sent by Lady Cheng were declined by seventy to eighty percent of the invitees, all excusing themselves due to family matters. The reasons, however, were unknown.

Lady Cheng had been enthusiastic about organizing the banquet, but it almost made her spit blood when only a small fraction of the guests, those whose status matched the Ma Family, showed up, and even they left early, excusing themselves after seeing that the hosts were Lady Cheng and Madam Tang. The remaining guests were of lower status than the Ma Family, whom Lady Cheng didn’t even consider worthwhile.

Lady Cheng was so busy being angry that she forgot that during the previous mid-reception she hosted, almost no one had come. The few Madams who were willing to attend this time did so out of respect for Ruo Lan, and knowing she wouldn’t be attending, they sensed trouble at Ma’s Mansion.

Madam Tang, having worked hard without a word of praise, was also taken by Lady Cheng as a target for venting her anger. Madam Tang wasn’t someone to be trifled with; her initial submission was due to unfamiliarity with her new surroundings, not out of natural submission. Now that she had a son, her confidence was solidified. Of course, she wouldn’t openly oppose Lady Cheng as that would give others leverage against her.

That day, Ma Yue and Lady Cheng ended up arguing again, and Lady Cheng fainted from anger. This time it was real, not feigned.

Su Zhu was somewhat worried, "Miss, what if people talk and accuse Second Master of being unfilial?" It was good for Second Master to stand up for her, but it would be problematic if it led to criticisms.

Madam Tang laughed and said, "Don’t worry, everything will be fine." If it were her cousin-in-law Ma Peng’s mother-in-law, he would surely act the same, but as her husband was his mother-in-law’s biological son, how could she let him carry the blame for being unfilial?

However, Madam Tang massaged her temples, truly angered this time. She had gone through great lengths to organize this banquet, endured countless snubs, and now had to face her mother-in-law’s complaints. If she endured any longer, people might really think she was a pushover.

Still, Su Zhu was a bit worried.

Madam Tang laughed, "What’s there to worry about? Everything is in the hands of Second Master!" Her son could close the doors to argue with his mother-in-law, but she couldn’t.

Madam Tang dared to act this way also because both heads of the Ma Family disfavored Lady Cheng, so her actions wouldn’t have any repercussions. Had it been another family, she certainly wouldn’t have used this method.

On returning to Ma’s Mansion after lunch at the Zhuang Family, Ruo Lan could hear Keyue’s giggling from outside the courtyard. As she entered the house, she saw Yueyao playing with Keyue.

Yueyao, holding Keyue and unable to perform formal courtesies, directly said, "Cousin-in-law is back. Keyue has been looking for you."

Ruo Lan looked at her daughter and smiled, "Keyue, did you miss Mommy?"

Keyue reached out her hands, her voice milky, "Mommy, hold."

After Keyue was taken by the wet nurse, Yueyao began discussing something with Ruo Lan, "Sister-in-law, I plan to go to Zhaohua Temple in a couple of days."