Chapter 116: There is Room For the Poor Daughter
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Chapter 116: Reversal
After Zhou Chengye and Yan Wenxiu paid their respects to Madam Zhou and Madam Li, they greeted the other ladies present and then left.
As soon as they departed, everyone realized that the young prince, who was studying at Wangyue Academy, had also come to Xiangxia Mountain today. The news spread quickly, and chatter erupted among the group.
In stark contrast to the previous cold reception, the ladies now treated Madam Li with remarkable enthusiasm, eagerly approaching her to strike up conversations.
Similarly, around Daohua and Yan Yihuan, the other young ladies were suddenly full of affection, calling them “sister” and “little sister” with great familiarity.
Witnessing the dramatic shift in attitude, Daohua felt an odd mix of amusement and helplessness. She couldn’t help but marvel at how deeply people’s desires for status and fortune could run.
It became clear that the moment her three elder brothers were seen alongside Xiao Yeyang, people rushed to cozy up to her and Yihuan. The disdain they had shown earlier had completely vanished, as if it had never existed.
The sudden enthusiasm of those around her left Yan Yihuan feeling flustered. Sensing this, Daohua held her hand reassuringly. "Say less and observe more. If someone speaks to you and you’re unsure how to respond, just smile."
“When interacting with others, maintain surface-level courtesy and follow proper etiquette. If you find someone you genuinely connect with or share interests with, then you can engage further.”
Daohua didn’t want to keep Yihuan constrained by her side the entire time.
In ancient times, young women rarely had the opportunity to leave their homes. Since they were out, it was a good chance to make friends. Keeping in touch through letters or invitations could add some vibrancy to an otherwise monotonous life in the boudoir.
Yihuan listened attentively and memorized Daohua’s advice.
Her mother had never explained things like this to her. Before leaving the house, her mother had repeatedly told her to make connections with other young ladies but hadn’t provided any guidance on how to do so.
When they were in the county, her interactions with official families’ daughters had been entirely different. Back then, others would actively seek her out and try to please her. Here, even her aunt had been treated coldly.
Thankfully, Daohua was by her side. Without her, being ignored and left alone would have made her unsure of how to handle the situation.
Now, with her eldest brother’s appearance turning the tide, the sudden warmth from the other ladies left her both happy and at a loss for words.
Fortunately, Daohua was willing to guide her.
Stealing a glance at Daohua, who was effortlessly engaging in cheerful conversation with the other girls, Yihuan’s eyes filled with gratitude.
Her elder cousin might not always play with them, but she was genuinely kind.
After finally dealing with the swarm of young ladies around her, Daohua exhaled deeply and used her handkerchief to dab at the sweat forming on her forehead.
Once again, she marveled at the cunningness of young women in ancient times. A single misstep, and she could easily fall into the traps hidden in their words.
Seeing Daohua act as if she had just survived a battle, Zhou Jingwan chuckled and teased in a low voice, "Now you understand how I feel when I interact with these ladies, don’t you?"
Daohua shook her head. "It’s not the same. Your family is a prestigious one, with a long lineage and great influence. You’ve had a Grand Secretary and a high-ranking Minister of Personnel. Most people want to flatter you, so you don’t have to deal with teasing or subtle traps in conversation."
"I’m different. In my family, only my father is an official, and he’s merely a fifth-rank Prefect Magistrate from a humble background. Our foundation is shallow. Any family here could easily outclass us in status."
"My brothers have caught the young prince’s favor, so most people are only outwardly warm to us. Privately, they’re probably envious. If I’m not constantly vigilant, I could end up being ridiculed or, worse, in trouble."
Zhou Jingwan looked at Daohua in surprise. "You think about all this just from chatting with a few ladies?"
Daohua rolled her eyes. "How can I not? Our family has no strong foundation. If something happens, there’s no one to help us. I have to avoid trouble wherever I can. Do you think everyone has a powerful family to rely on, like yours?"
Zhou Jingwan retorted, "Who says you’d have no one to help? My family would!"
Daohua smiled faintly but didn’t respond.
The relationship between their families wasn’t particularly strong. At best, her brothers and Zhou Jingwan’s brothers shared a bit of camaraderie from studying together at the academy, and she and Zhou Jingwan were friendly as well.
But these were all ties between the younger generation and didn’t involve the elders.
How solid could such relationships truly be?
Glancing back at Yihuan, who was now conversing politely with two young ladies, Daohua saw that she was handling herself well. Satisfied, she turned to Zhou Jingwan and said, "Let’s go. Let’s pick up the pace on our climb."
Down below, Madam Zhou watched her daughter climbing the mountain hand in hand with the eldest Yan girl, her heart filled with quiet joy.
She recalled the message her eldest son had sent and cast a complex glance at Madam Li, who was effortlessly conversing and laughing with the other ladies nearby.
Who would have thought that the young prince valued the Yan family so highly?
Now, the two younger Yan brothers were studying and training with the young prince. While not official companions, they were undeniably classmates.
As long as the Yan brothers were clever enough to leverage this connection, it could propel the Yan family to greater heights.
Look at this: things had barely begun, and already, everyone was flocking to them.
At the same time, Madam Zhou couldn’t help but sigh, knowing that her eldest son’s acquaintance with the Yan brothers was what had brought him to the young prince’s attention and provided the opportunity for interaction.
When it came to family background, scholarship, and demeanor, wasn’t her Chengye far superior to the Yan brothers?
But enough of that. In the end, their family also benefited from their connection to the Yan family.
Her father-in-law’s foresight had indeed been remarkable—befriending the Yan family had proven to be a wise decision.
Xiangxia Mountain was quite tall, and the ladies, accustomed to a life of luxury, wouldn’t be able to make it to the summit without being carried back down.
So, when they reached the halfway point, Madam Zhou called for a stop.
The mountain was covered with maple trees, and by September, the leaves had turned red, creating a breathtaking view. Even from halfway up the mountain, the scenery was stunning.
There was a temple at the midway point, and Madam Zhou had reserved a large courtyard there early in the day.
Now, she led the group of young ladies into the temple’s rear courtyard to rest.
“We’ll take a break here. Once you’re rested, we can go pay our respects to the Buddha. If you’re hungry, try the vegetarian dishes here—they’re quite tasty,” Madam Zhou said with a smile.
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This novel is translated by the Eternal Novel Hits translators. Please read it at https://eternalnovelhits.blogspot.com
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Noticing that some of the girls seemed restless, she added, “The scenery around the temple is lovely. The abbot is a cultured man and has set up a chrysanthemum exhibition this time. Since it’s rare for you all to come out, feel free to explore.”
Hearing this, the young ladies brightened up, forming small groups to discuss where to go.
“But remember, when you go out, make sure to have someone accompany you. Understood?” Madam Zhou reminded them firmly. She wanted the outing to end on a pleasant note, not in an incident.
Before long, the girls paired off with familiar companions and headed out.
Someone came to invite Zhou Jingwan and Daohua, but both declined, saying they wanted to rest.
The two had climbed quickly earlier and were now a bit tired and needed to catch their breath.
Seeing the fine sweat on their foreheads and the healthy flush on their cheeks, the other young ladies didn’t press them, instead leaving with smiles.
When Daohua saw that a young lady had come to invite Yan Yihuan to see the chrysanthemums, she waved her hand encouragingly. “Go ahead, and take Yihuan with you.”
Qian Bilian, who was nearby, immediately laughed. “Don’t worry, Sister Yan. I’ll take good care of Yihuan.”
(End of Chapter)
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