SGEIRS -Chapter 558 Grandmother Falls Ill

The next day.

Just after the hour of Chen had passed, Meng Jinyao returned from Old Madam Gu’s place carrying Wanwan. She had the wet nurse take the child away, while she herself planned to go to the study to read for a bit.

At that moment, Ningdong came in to report, “Madam, Madam Meng and the Third Young Lady have arrived.”

Meng Jinyao didn’t react right away. She froze for a moment, then said in confusion, “What Third Young Lady, Fourth Young Lady? Which family’s young lady are you talking about?”

Ningdong looked at her strangely. Seeing the blank look on her face, she said, “Madam, did you not sleep well last night and are feeling muddled? Madam Meng is your stepmother. The Third Young Lady is naturally your stepsister. She has now been taken back into the Meng household and is the Meng family’s Third Young Lady—though she hasn’t changed her surname.”

At that, Meng Jinyao suddenly understood. She had never met this stepsister before, and hearing her mentioned out of the blue, she hadn’t reacted in time. Toward this stepsister she had never met, she couldn’t help feeling a bit curious. She quickly instructed, “Invite them in at once.” Then she turned to Chunliu and added, “Chunliu, prepare some tea, and bring out the fruit and pastries I had you prepare earlier.”

The two maids acknowledged and withdrew.

Before long, Meng Jinyao saw Madam Zhao enter, accompanied by a young girl at her side. Although the girl had not yet come of age, she already possessed striking beauty—peach-blossom cheeks, brows like drifting smoke, lips red as rosy clouds. She followed closely beside Madam Zhao, appearing shy and reserved, and when she saw Meng Jinyao, she lifted a timid smile.

A truly pretty girl. In another two years, she would be even more beautiful.

However, her features did not resemble Madam Zhao very much. She likely took after her biological father.

From this, it was clear that Madam Zhao’s late former husband must also have been a handsome and refined man.

Meng Jinyao withdrew her appraising gaze and said gently, “Mother, this must be my Third Younger Sister?”

Madam Zhao had originally thought that Meng Jinyao would be distant and address Yunying as Miss Qiao. Unexpectedly, she directly called her “younger sister,” instantly revealing her attitude toward them. The smile on Madam Zhao’s face grew noticeably warmer.

She nodded lightly. “That’s right.” Then she turned to her daughter and said, “Yunying, quickly greet your eldest sister.”

Qiao Yunying hurried forward two steps and performed a greeting appropriate for peers. “Yunying greets Eldest Sister.”

As the elder sister, meeting a stepsister for the first time, it was customary to give a meeting gift to show goodwill.

Meng Jinyao casually removed the mutton-fat white jade bracelet from her wrist and gave it to Qiao Yunying, personally slipping it onto her wrist. She said softly, “I didn’t know Third Sister would be visiting today, so I didn’t prepare a proper meeting gift. I hope Third Sister won’t mind.”

Qiao Yunying lowered her gaze and saw that the bracelet was quite valuable. She didn’t dare accept it and hesitated, looking toward her mother. Only after Madam Zhao nodded did she accept it, smiling shyly and somewhat stiffly. “I like it very much. Thank you, Eldest Sister.”

Meng Jinyao invited the mother and daughter to sit and instructed the maids to serve tea and fruit pastries. The pastries were mostly things young girls liked, along with some lightly flavored snacks suitable for elders.

Seeing this, Madam Zhao understood at once. This stepdaughter was sincerely hosting them—these things must have been prepared in advance. If they had been arranged hastily on the spot, they wouldn’t have been so thoughtful.

After a bit of polite conversation, Meng Jinyao finally got to the point. “Mother, you’ve come today—do you have something you wish to tell me?”

“I was thinking that you sisters haven’t met yet,” Madam Zhao said. “Your child is still young, and you’re busy caring for him, so you don’t have time to return to your natal home. I brought her over to let you meet, so that you won’t be strangers if you encounter each other in the future.” As she spoke, she glanced at Qiao Yunying and continued, “Yunying, didn’t you say on the way here that you wanted to see your little nephew and play with him? Go over there and play with him. Your eldest sister and I still have things to discuss.”

Hearing this, Qiao Yunying was stunned. When had she ever clamored to play with her stepsister’s child? But seeing the look in her mother’s eyes, she didn’t contradict her.

Meng Jinyao noticed her reaction and understood that Madam Zhao likely had something she wanted to say privately, something Qiao Yunying shouldn’t hear. That was why she was sending her away. She smiled and said, “Chunliu, take the Third Young Lady to the wet nurse.”

Chunliu acknowledged and led Qiao Yunying to the wet nurse’s side, staying with her at all times.

After they left, Meng Jinyao dismissed the other maids as well, leaving only her trusted maid Ningdong to attend her. She asked, “Mother, what exactly is the matter?”

Madam Zhao lowered her voice. “A-Yao, your grandmother has fallen ill.”

Meng Jinyao’s eyes widened abruptly, her face full of shock. “Grandmother has fallen ill? How is it that I haven’t heard anything?”

In the past, she would certainly have known about something like this. As a junior—and not someone married far away—she would have been required to return and pay her respects. Otherwise, it would be considered unfilial. Yet now she hadn’t heard a single word, which was truly strange.

Madam Zhao explained, “Your father sealed off the news. Yunying and I came here without his knowledge. We only claimed that my mother missed Yunying and that I was taking her back to see her maternal grandmother.”

Hearing this, Meng Jinyao revealed an expression of just as expected, then asked, “Is my grandmother’s illness related to my father?”

Madam Zhao did not hide anything and told her honestly. “That day, your father heard that the former wife he’s been pining for had become engaged to someone else and was preparing to remarry. He was disheartened and drank himself into a stupor. When he came back, he had a huge quarrel with me. Your grandmother learned that he had argued with me over his former wife and scolded him harshly.”

“Who would have thought—your father was already angry and had been drinking. The alcohol emboldened him, and he spoke without restraint, cursing her as an old hag who harmed her descendants and ruined his good marriage prospects. Your grandmother already disliked Madam Dong to begin with, and now her own son was turning against her over that woman. In a fit of rage, she fainted on the spot. She’s been unconscious for three days now and still hasn’t woken up. The household physician said that even if she does wake up, she won’t return to her former state.”

After hearing this, Meng Jinyao was utterly stunned. Madam Dong finding a good match made her genuinely happy, but that her father and grandmother had ended up like this was truly unexpected. No wonder her father had sealed off the news—if word spread that he had angered his own mother into illness, he would become a universally condemned unfilial son. If a censor impeached him and it reached the emperor’s ears, punishment would be unavoidable.

Madam Zhao looked up at Meng Jinyao and continued, “A-Yao, I haven’t been married into the Meng family for very long. When it comes to household matters, I still don’t have a firm grasp on how things should be handled. This incident has truly left me at a loss. On one side is my husband, on the other my mother-in-law. After thinking it over, I decided to come and ask for your opinion. After all, you grew up in the Meng family. You’re more familiar than I am with how Meng family matters should be handled.”

Meng Jinyao looked at Madam Zhao in surprise. Normally, with parents still alive and male members in the household, a married-out daughter had no right to interfere in her natal family’s affairs. Yet Madam Zhao had come to seek her opinion—this meant that Madam Zhao was standing on her side. No matter what she decided, Madam Zhao would follow her lead.

Thinking about it, that made sense. Originally, before Grandmother fell ill, because Father couldn’t forget Madam Dong and disliked Madam Zhao, it was only because Madam Zhao could please Grandmother that Grandmother supported her.

Now Grandmother had fallen ill, unconscious for three days with no certainty of waking. Afterward, Father would surely turn on Madam Zhao. And since Meng Jinyao and her father were at odds, Madam Zhao had come to seek her as a pillar of support.

She really was a clever woman.