Flowery Hair: A Maidservant

Chapter 102 Tang Lin

The festive atmosphere of the New Year needs no further explanation, but at this time, something unexpected happened. When the news of the old Marquis's death reached the Tang family in Lin'an, it was not even the first month of the lunar calendar.

As a member of a collateral branch, Tang Xian himself was also in the capital. In fact, there was no need for Lady Yun to personally attend to the funeral of the Marquis's family, but Tang Xian sent a letter asking Lady Yun to return to the capital.

This continued until mid-February when a servant came ahead of time to deliver a message that Madam Yun was going to take Tang Lin back to Lin'an.

The old lady and the second young lady received the news but had no idea what had happened, so they could only wait anxiously every day. Hua Yan was also very alarmed. It seemed that, whether due to changes in the political situation or other considerations, Tang Lin would not be participating in the imperial examinations in March of the forty-fourth year of the Qian Yuan era.

The weather wasn't very good that day. Winter in Lin'an wasn't as sparse as in the north, and it was damp and cold.

The gates of the Tang residence were wide open. The second and fifth young ladies, with smiles on their faces, arrived with Hua Yan and a few others. Aunt Liu and the eldest young lady were already waiting there. Aunt Lu arrived with the sixth young lady almost at the same time as the second young lady, but when the second young lady saw the wet nurse carrying the second young master behind her, she didn't know what to say for a moment.

Hua Yan watched coldly. After her illness, Aunt Lu had almost recovered. However, since Madam Yun was not in the mansion and the Second Young Master had been cared for by the Old Madam for several months, Hua Yan dared not suggest taking him back to be cared for. Moreover, as a concubine, she could not always show up at Fu An Ju, so her complexion was not very good.

Suwen and Guangbai were also sent by the old lady. After a short while, the third and fourth young ladies arrived late, surrounded by maids. Aunt Wen was still recuperating at the estate.

These are all pampered masters, and in such terrible weather, if it weren't for receiving news of Madam Yun's return to the mansion, we could only see them all at Fu'an Residence.

The second young lady asked Aunt Mei, "Mother Wei went to the capital with us. Has everything been settled at Yun Gui Courtyard?"

"Don't worry, Second Miss. I went to check on it myself, and Ruozhu was also keeping an eye on it. The two remaining head maids in Madam's courtyard are both dutiful and reliable, and everything is ready. Yunqi Courtyard, where the eldest young master lives, has also been prepared in a hurry. The old lady has sent people to deliver things several times, which shows that she is looking forward to the eldest young master's return to the mansion."

Guangbai chuckled and replied, "That's right. It's been almost a year since the old lady last saw the young master. Yesterday, despite our advice, she went to Yunqi Courtyard herself and carefully inspected all of the young master's usual belongings, as well as his clothes and trunks. She just instructed Steward An to prepare the young master's favorite crispy abalone and snails as soon as possible."

The fifth young lady stood on tiptoe to look around and murmured, "I wonder what gifts my eldest brother has prepared for us. I made a big promise to the second young lady of the Fan family. If it's not as good as last year, I'll lose face."

Aunt Lu held Quan Ge'er in her arms, hoping that the young master would have a better impression of him because of the fact that she had come out to greet him.

Aunt Liu, who was at the very back, handed the copper-engraved melon-shaped hand warmer to the maid beside her. She grasped the eldest young lady's hands, her voice distorted with excitement, and whispered, "I never imagined that with the imperial examinations just around the corner, Lin-ge would come back with Madam. I'm truly relieved this time. Madam must have instructed him to come back to deliver your dowry. With the eldest son personally present, those bumpkins from the Song family in Jinnan will see a real gentleman, and they won't dare to bully you anymore."

The young lady had no choice but to silence her concubine. The wedding was scheduled for the end of April, so how could she say such a thing? Fortunately, her concubine was always respectful to her stepmother; otherwise, how could she feel at ease leaving her alone in the mansion after her marriage to a distant place?

Before long, when the sound of wheels could be heard in the distance, the Fifth Miss happily pulled the Second Miss along and rushed to the front.

As Hua Yan's first year at the Tang family home approached, she met the legendary eldest son of the Tang family for the first time.

A young man stepped down first from the second carriage. He was wearing a sable fox fur coat, a light blue round-necked, right-fastening, narrow-sleeved shirt, and a leather belt with peony and gold embroidery around his waist. His long, raven-feather-like hair was tied back with a white jade hairpin. He was a handsome and elegant young man with a refined and graceful demeanor.

Seeing everyone in the manor waiting to greet him, Tang Lin couldn't help but smile slightly. He went straight to the first carriage and helped Madam Yun down. The second young lady led everyone to pay their respects to her mother and brother. Hua Yan followed suit and bowed. As soon as she lowered her head, she noticed a light blue embroidered carp-shaped pouch on Tang Lin's belt. The stitches were rough, indicating that it was the second young lady's practice piece.

The second and fifth young ladies hadn't seen their brother for a long time, so they went up to him to talk. The fifth young lady held her brother's hand and looked him up and down, showing great affection.

Supported by Wei Mama, Madam Yun looked tired from the journey. She glanced at everyone and said, "It's kind of you to come out to greet me in this cold weather. How has the manor been these days?"

The second young lady hurriedly followed Madam Yun as they walked into the mansion. "Reporting to Mother, everything is fine in the mansion."

When Aunt Lu carried the second young master to pay her respects to the madam and the eldest young master, Madam Yun could hardly bear to watch. In this weather, what kind of obsequiousness was it to bring out a child to fawn over them? It only made them seem more distant.

Tang Lin brought a lot of luggage back this time. He was about to give Mu Feng a few instructions when he saw him looking dazed. He followed his gaze and saw that behind his second sister, although they were all wearing the same winter clothes as the little maids, there was a more elegant figure.

Mu Yu lightly punched him from behind, and Mu Feng shuddered, stammering, "What... what are your orders, Young Master? Oh, oh, we... we know how to arrange these luggage, including Mu Yu's."

Tang Lin seemed to be deep in thought, "Meng Shu?"

Mu Feng didn't react and nodded blankly.

Tang Lin said calmly, "I suddenly remembered something I forgot to do. I won't be able to return to the capital for a while after returning to Lin'an this time. There's no reliable person to take over the hot spring estate I gave to Wan'er. You should go back to the capital tomorrow and manage it."

When Tang Lin entered the manor, Mu Yu scolded him in a low voice: "You, you are really bewitched. You even dare to covet the maids around the Second Miss. What will people say if word gets out? If you give up on this idea now, I will plead for you by the Young Master's side these past few years. You might come back someday. Otherwise, you can just fend for yourself in the manor."

Mu Feng panicked completely, staring blankly at the gate of the Tang residence. He couldn't understand why his usually gentle master had become so angry over a mere maid.

Upon arriving at the manor, Madam Yun dismissed everyone, leaving the Second Miss and the Fifth Miss to return to Yun Gui Courtyard.

After changing into casual clothes and washing away the dust of the journey, Madam Yun summoned the Second Miss and Hua Yan alone. "The situation in the capital is not very clear. Apart from the Second Prince being sent to his fiefdom early on, His Majesty has been slow to grant titles and fiefdoms to the other princes. Currently, the Third Prince and the Seventh Prince have many supporters in the court, and their influence is gradually growing."

The Crown Prince fell seriously ill at this time, which was quite intriguing. If it weren't for the imperial physicians' miraculous healing, the capital would probably have already descended into chaos.

The Ninth Prince's power base is still relatively weak, so he sent a message to your father, saying that things are currently very complicated, and that Lin-ge should bide his time and re-enter the fray in three years.