Chapter 206: A Visit to Mother (3) Translator: Antonia

After the tableware was taken away, aunt Li pointed at the two shy girls, Wanruo and Wanru, teasing, Madam, looked at the second and third lady. They are so bashful that they dare not to look up when there is a guest. They are far worse than lady Qianxue.

Hearing this comparison, Mrs. Jia instantly pulled her face and scolded, Unruly! How could you compare concubines daughters with a legal lady? Besides, in the future, Qianxue will be a madam of a super family. Youre so bold to compare her with your own useless daughters!

Jiang stood up, indignant, Although the second and third ladies are your daughters, they are ladies after all. How could you, a concubine, to discuss things about ladies? What do you have in mind?

She was the eldest daughter-in-law of the Jia mansion and naturally talked with authority.

Aunt Li was scared and kneeled down, saying hurriedly, I just admire so Miss. Mos beauty and elegance much that I said something offensive without thinking. Please do forgive me, Miss. Mo.

The atmospherics in the room instantly became tense. Everyones eyes unconsciously turned to Mo Qianxue.

Mo Qianxue picked up the teacup, blew away the tea leaves floating on the water, took a sip, and said slowly, Dont say so, aunt. At this time, it would be her fault whether she forgave her or not.

If she blamed her, then she would be accused of putting on airs. If not, she was belittling herself.

Seeing that Mo Qianxue didnt show irritation, Mrs. Jia found it improper for a concubine aunt to kneel to her daughter and reprimanded, What are you doing? Just get up and thank Miss. Mo for her lenience.

Thank you, Miss. Mo. Aunt Li stood up, but her mouth wasnt shut.

Instead, she smiled, I was thinking, Miss. Mo is distinguished and needs considerate people to take care of you. Although the servants are capable, they may overlook something anyway.

Why not let Wanruo and Wanru go to serve you at the Founder mansion? They are not clever but they can do domestic chores. At least they have softer hands than the servants. I hope they could follow you early so that they could learn how to be a lady like you. What do you think?

The words sounded very nice on the surface.

Yet, when thought upon carefully, the words were disgusting.

As soon as aunt Li finished, the two girls flushed.

At this point, if Mo Qianxue still didnt understand what she meant, those novels and TV series were merely a waste of time.

Around fifteen was a proper age for marriage.

She claimed to let them learn from her, but in fact, it would be taking them back to the Founder mansion first. Then, when she got married and moved to the Ning mansion, they would follow her as dowry girls.

A convention of bringing concubines for the husband among ancient big and noble families.

A noble lady marrying to a high-ranked family, if having too many sisters, would always bring with her a few sisters who were daughters of concubines to help her.

Based on her identity as a legal wife, as long as she moved in, they became her husbands concubines, and respected concubines.

The respected concubines of a super-family master were no lesser than ordinary imperial concubines.

Certainly, Mo Qianxue was unhappy because they were already trying to tuck people to her before she got married. She looked to Mrs. Jia, wanting to know whether it was Mrs. Jias plan or aunt Lis own willful proposition.

Mrs. Jia also looked shocked. Obviously, she didnt know it beforehand. Yet, she didnt seem to object to it and pondered.

Mo Qianxue indifferently picked the teacup and sipped tea. As long as it wasnt Mrs. Jias plan and calculation, she didnt care what others thought.

Mo Qianxue didnt say anything, while Mrs. Jia was in contemplation. The scene became colder.

Jiang and Yao bowed their heads and held the teacups at the same time, all ears.

Aunt Zhang looked a little jealous. This aunt Li always had some means to make madam very happy and had managed to give birth to two children in a row. Yet, two daughters.

After the wave of jealousy, she began to lament for her back luck.

No matter how good a scholar was in character or learning, he was of humble origin, with merely a few houses, acres of land and some servants. How could he be comparable with nobilities? If her daughter hadnt been engaged, now she would be the best candidate.

Aunt Li was quite nervous and looked at Mrs. Jia expectantly. As long as Mrs. Jia agreed, certainly Miss. Mo wouldnt have an opinion.

Wanhua sat there, calm and motionless, as if she had heard nothing.

Wanruo and Wanru subconsciously took a grip on nervously twisted their handkerchiefs. After a while of pondering, Mrs. Jia looked serious, supposedly having made up her mind, Actually, aunt Lis words make some sense. Mo Qianxue couldnt agree but knew that she was of good intention. For a time, she just didnt find proper words to turn her down.

Seeing Mo Qianxue was silent, Mrs. Jia understood. She herself was a wife. Since ancient times, no wives liked concubines.

Wives and concubines, and their daughters were born to be opponents. No one liked each other.

However, even if they didnt like each other, it didnt mean they couldnt live together. It was never heard of that a master didnt take concubines, let alone a super-family master.

Qianxue didnt have mother, and the Founder mansion knew little about this kind of things because the Founder was a loyal man. Hence, Mrs. Jia felt dutiful to remind her daughter in this regard.

Thinking of this, she tried best to soften her tone and persuaded, Qianxue, dont think too much. Im not tucking people onto you. Its just youre a only child and stands at odds against the Mo clan. In the future, when you move into the Ning mansion, youll have no sisters to help you, even if youve saved the life of master Ning. How long could his gratitude last?

These two girls were brought up under my watch. Even though they couldnt achieve great things, they have a mild temperament, and I know them well It meant that they were easy to handle.

A third person couldnt understand a couples relationship. From Mrs. Jias viewpoint, this arrangement was a way to maintain her status and his affection. She was totally thinking for Mo Qianxues sake. Every noble lady got married, taking with her either her sisters or pretty servant girls as dowry girls.

However, it was impossible for her to understand that Mo Qianxue didnt need it, and Ning Shaoqing wouldnt allow either.

Mo Qianxue didnt reply yet, and nanny Mos expression changed, obviously persuaded by Mrs. Jias words. She gently pushed Mo Qianxue in secrecy, Mrs. Jias kindness

In addition, although nanny Mo heard Chuyi told her that Mr. Ning had said that he would only marry their lady.

However, in fact, she didnt believe that, at least not entirely.

Men like Mo Tianfang had long been extinct in this world.

Besides, they were two different cases. When Mo Tianfang married Feng Qingyu, everyone believed that he was out of her league. But when it came to Mo Qianxue marrying Ning Shaoqing, everyone believed she was out of his league.

It was the other way round.

Ning Shaoqing was a super-family master. How would it be possible that he would only have one woman?

Even if he himself didnt want to, the elders of the Ning clan wouldnt let him.

Sometimes, taking concubines was a means of pulling in, a way to gain more supporters to the Ning clan. Nanny Mo wasnt very knowledgeable, but she understood this, she believed.

Yet on the flip side, there werent seniors in the Founder mansion and back then, madam was in charge of everything. Who dared to climb onto the bed of Founder? Outside the mansion, master Mo of the Mo clan couldnt control over the Founder. When he himself refused to take concubines, nobody dared to say anything. If concubines were forced onto him, the Founder would definitely split them into parts.

Being pushed by nanny Mo, Mo Qianxue shook her head. Sometimes the ancients couldnt be talked through.

Before nanny Mo finished, Mo Qianxue put down the cup and replied, I appreciate mothers kindness, but

Nanny Mo was stunned.

Mrs. Jia was a little surprised too.

Sensible people will know that youre thinking for me and my future, but those unreasonable people will say youre sending concubines daughters to the Founder mansion as servants. If this rumor is spread out, Im afraid it would affect Mr. Jias reputation.

At this point, she could only pretend that she didnt understand.

Daughters, even of concubines, from the Jia mansion would never be given to others as servants.

Mo Qianxue just pretended that she misunderstood their words. Yet, others understood what she meant.

Aunt Li looked embarrassed, her smile frozen a little from indignation, and didnt give up, Its not good if Miss. Mo dont have intimate servants around.

Mo Qianxue frowned, unable to understood why this woman, who had been a concubine for her whole life, wanted to send her own daughters away as concubines. So ridiculous. She continued, I dont think so. There are hundreds of servants in the Founder mansion at my command. They are already more than enough Aunt Li thinks too much.

She and Ning Shaoqing loved each other and only wanted to spend the rest of their lives together exclusively. These peoples suggestion annoyed her. That being said, she still needed to get prepared, because this sort of things would be more in the future. This probably was only an appetizer.