Lu Lingyun heard this and smiled at Concubine Qiu, “Congratulations, Concubine Qiu. You should seize the opportunity and quickly bring a son into the family.”
“It’s all thanks to the mistress’ blessings. I will definitely cherish this opportunity and try my best,” Concubine Qiu replied.
Lu Lingyun instructed An Mamá to give Concubine Qiu some gifts and also asked the doctor to carefully prescribe medicine for Cheng Yunshuo. She also sent someone to the Duke’s Mansion to ask for a few more days of leave for Cheng Yunshuo. Having taken care of everything in the mansion, she ordered her carriage to leave.
Today, Jiang Shi had invited her to meet Luo Heng’s mother, Madam Yang. They were meeting at the Wangjiang Tower, a famous restaurant in the capital.
Lu Lingyun arrived to find Jiang Shi and Madam Yang already there. Following the servant’s guidance, she ascended to the second floor where Madam Yang was engaged in a lively conversation with Jiang Shi.
“Winter is coming soon. Have you started preparing winter clothes in your mansion?”
“We have started, but I don’t know why, but the silks from Jiangnan are ridiculously expensive this year. My husband told me not to be extravagant, to just buy some plain fabric for the clothes,” Jiang Shi said. “Qiluo also said she has enough clothes, so there’s no need to make anything with silk.”
“How can that be? Your family has only Qiluo, a precious daughter. I’ll send some good silk over later, to make winter clothes for Qiluo. Even if I have to sacrifice for anyone, I can’t let Qiluo, our future daughter-in-law, suffer.”
As Madam Yang finished her sentence, the smile on Jiang Shi’s face stiffened. At that moment, Lu Lingyun walked in.
“There’s no need for that, Madam Luo. It just so happens that I recently found some silk that would be perfect for Qiluo. I was planning to make her some winter clothes as a surprise. But you guys started discussing it before I could.”
Lu Lingyun entered with a gentle smile, her voice calm and composed, her demeanor elegant and graceful.
Madam Yang, upon seeing Lu Lingyun, whose clothes were simple but exuded an air of distinction, was immediately captivated. Lu Lingyun possessed a dignified and graceful appearance, with well-defined features. She wore a simple and elegant light blue autumn dress, a colorful tassel waistcoat on her shoulders, two jade hairpins in her hair, and a jade bracelet on her wrist. There were no other unnecessary adornments, yet her every movement carried an undeniable aura of nobility.
Even among the daughters of officials, there were clear distinctions. The daughters of noble families naturally possessed a higher level of refinement compared to those from ordinary officials’ families.
The wives of noble families were always granted official titles, such as Lu Lingyun’s mother-in-law, Lady Qin, who was the Houfu’s official lady. Of course, Lu Lingyun didn’t have an official title yet, but if there were any flower viewing parties or gatherings in the palace, Lady Qin could bring her along. Once Cheng Yunshuo inherited the title, Lu Lingyun, as the head wife, would naturally become an official lady.
Unlike the wives of ordinary officials, only those with high official ranks or those who had made significant contributions could petition for an official title. This disparity marked the difference between nobility and ordinary officials.
Madam Yang’s family belonged to a fourth-rank official, the Assistant Minister of Justice. This position wasn’t low, but it couldn’t compare to the nobility.
“Oh, who is this?”
“This is Lu Shi, the wife of the young master of the Ningyang Houfu. She’s also my adopted daughter and Qiluo’s adopted elder sister, Lingyun.”
“No wonder she’s the wife of the Houfu’s young master. She’s different from the rest at first glance!” Madam Yang’s words were as sweet as honey, filled with praise for Lu Lingyun.
“Madam Luo is the one with extraordinary charm. I have often heard my adopted mother speak of you and have always wanted to visit. Now that I have finally met you, you are truly as they say, warm and straightforward. With you in the Luo family, it is sure to be prosperous and happy.”
“You’ve got a sweet tongue.”
“I speak from the heart. There’s no need for flattery.”
Madam Yang listened with a smile that couldn’t be contained, her eyes fixed on Lu Lingyun, unable to look away. “It’s no wonder they say the young ladies of the capital are all exceptionally good. We came too late. We missed out on such a wonderful girl like Lingyun!”
“Who wouldn’t say so? If I didn’t have a son, and those bastards of mine were too young, I would have been the first to snatch her away!” Jiang Shi said.
“Well, I’m lucky. Though I missed the wife of the Ningyang Hou’s son, I still managed to marry the daughter of General Wang!”
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