Chapter 321: Elder Sister
Eunuch Yan rarely left the palace.
Whenever he did, he brought many people and many things with him.
When the Emperor favored someone, he would send Old Yan to proclaim the imperial decree, bringing along various gifts as rewards.
As for Eunuch Liu, whenever he left the palace, it was to proclaim a reprimand with a dark expression on his face.
Old Liu felt the Emperor was biased.
Why did Old Yan get to play the “white-faced” role, while he was only deemed fit to be the “black-faced” one?
However, that was how the Emperor arranged things, and he only dared to grumble internally. After all, if he displeased the Emperor, he wouldn’t even have the opportunity to play the “black-faced” role anymore.
Who knew how much effort went into such a simple public appearance?
Eunuch Yan led a grand procession to the Meng Family.
He bestowed many gifts, and it certainly looked like a lot.
Princess Caiyi accepted the decree, feeling overwhelmed by the sheer length of it.
However, Aunt Yin told her that the Emperor’s rewards were because her husband and grandfather were on the battlefield, and because their service was needed, the favors kept coming. In reality, it didn’t have much to do with her, so she must not become arrogant.
Jiang Yu indicated that she understood. In the county town, the head shopkeeper would occasionally send things to the parents of his subordinates to show generosity, and then make the subordinates work hard. Even if a subordinate died accidentally, their parents couldn’t say anything; they could only weep. That was fate.
The Imperial Court and that little shop were actually the same; one was just big, and the other was small.
Aunt Yin was stunned by what she said. Sometimes The Eldest Miss was smart, and sometimes she wasn’t; it was hard to tell if she was actually clever or not.
After receiving the many rewards, Meng Qingshe learned that Eunuch Yan was his daughter-in-law’s godfather, and he did not avoid him.
Although he had joined others in cursing the “dog eunuch” before, that was only because he hadn’t known the “dog eunuch” back then.
If he had known him, he wouldn’t have cursed him like that.
He kept the man to share a meal.
Ever since Eunuch Yan entered the palace, he rarely stayed outside.
He did not refuse.
In any case, he was under the Emperor’s orders to look around more.
He himself also wanted to see how Sister Yu was doing.
He also wanted to show his support for Sister Yu, if he could.
His reputation outside was not good, but everyone had to save face for him, be polite to him, and dare not provoke him.
If you have power and don’t use it, it will go to waste.
After working so hard to climb up to the Emperor’s side, it couldn’t just be to please the Emperor, right?
Eunuch Yan displayed an appropriate level of arrogance, yet he stayed.
Others found it slightly strange, but Sister Yu did not.
She excitedly chattered away to her godfather.
“Godfather, last time in the palace, I didn’t dare to say much. At home, Great-Aunt kept telling me to speak less, speak less, speak less. It scared me! Fortunately, seeing you, I wasn’t afraid anymore. It felt like coming home.”
“Godfather, you say the Imperial Great-Uncle eats so well every day, so why doesn’t he gain weight? The roasted chicken I sent in last time, did the Imperial Great-Uncle eat it?”
Eunuch Yan:…He didn’t eat it. The Emperor was just showing favor, and he was very cautious about food. Other eunuchs and palace maids ate it, and he had eaten it too; it was quite delicious.
Eunuch Yan nodded.
“It was so much effort for me to make it, wrapped in mud and roasted to lock in the aroma. I didn’t even dare to open it, but I suppose it was cold by the time it got in. What would you like to eat today, Godfather? I will cook it myself. I am very capable now; I can make so many dishes.”
Eunuch Yan smiled.
In his mind, he often recalled that the most delicious thing was the wild vegetable porridge from Kaner Village.
However, now that he had eaten all sorts of delicacies, it probably wouldn’t taste good anymore, but when remembered, it was the most fragrant.
“By the way, Godfather, my mother is here with me. You haven’t seen her in a long time; I will call her over.”
The smile on Eunuch Yan’s face suddenly paused, and his hands inside his large sleeves trembled slightly.
Qin Luoxia had come over early in the morning.
She hadn’t expected someone from the palace to come, nor had she expected it to be Saner.
She was taking care of the two children.
When she came to see the children today, she had deliberately dressed in something rather elegant, just a dark blue cloth skirt.
Of course, it was different from the dark blue coarse cloth of the past; although it was the same dark blue, the fabric was worlds apart.
The delicate patterns on the hem of the skirt and the stiffness of the fabric were completely different.
Money makes people look good.
A woman of Qin Luoxia’s age, if she were in the village—no matter how beautiful her foundation was—would still be an old crone, doing endless farm work and chores every day, serving her children and husband, exposed to wind and sun, continuously giving birth, and aging drastically each time.
“Poverty is the root of all evil, and wealth comes before a hundred virtues.”
Affluence made one’s features appear gentle; there were no deep nasolabial folds carved by time, only kind laugh lines at the corners of her eyes.
Because life was comfortable and her economic conditions were good, Qin Luoxia hadn’t aged over the years; instead, she had grown younger as she lived.
Eunuch Yan didn’t let Jiang Yu call her; he wanted to go and see her himself.
When Eunuch Yan saw Qin Luoxia again, it was as if time had stopped.
It was just like back then.
Things had changed, but the person remained.
That Eunuch Yan, who always smiled with the face of a “dog eunuch” in front of everyone, instantly teared up the moment he saw Qin Luoxia sitting by the window.
He was now dressed in fine robes, he was now high and mighty, he was now swaggering through the streets, and he was now able to deceive the whole world.
Whatever he sang now, even if it was off-key and wild, people would praise it: “Elegant, truly elegant! Good, truly good!”
He now had everything.
And yet, he now had nothing.
He even thought about turning and fleeing.
But in the end, he didn’t dare to flee.
He was worried that if he fled, he would never have the chance to see her again.
He stepped over the threshold and, addressing the woman sitting there, softly called out: “Elder Sister.”
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