Thirteenth Lady's Comback: Her Everyday Life as a Bystander-Chapter 264 - 16: Visiting the Liu Mansion (Part 2)

Although Mrs. Qin didn’t know that Susu was actually the Thirteenth Lady Ruan, Hong Sheng was highly regarded by Commander Liu, and the Liu Mansion soon sent an invitation, inviting Susu to visit the day after tomorrow.

Hong Sheng has been busy with the handover these days, and today he is officially starting "work."

The Hami Guard Command is only about forty to fifty li from Hami County. Officers above the fifth rank generally do not settle their families at the garrison. Life there is boring on one hand, and the environment is harsh on the other. After all, it’s not far from home, just a three to five-day journey back.

Last night, Hong Sheng kept Susu up half the night. When he left early in the morning, Susu was still asleep. It wasn’t until past seven, when it really couldn’t be delayed any longer, that the maids woke her up.

While having breakfast, Susu mulled over the current situation of the Liu family. Commander Liu was forty-two years old this year, coming from a humble background, starting as a soldier, and it took him three years to work his way up to a Hundred Households.

He truly started to flourish because twenty years ago, he became close friends with Third Master Qin from Duke Zhen’s Mansion, who had joined the army in the northwest in secret.

When Third Master Qin’s identity was revealed, he directly commanded the Seven Guards of Guanxi and heavily promoted his friend. Naturally, no one dared to seize his military achievements, and he followed Third Master Qin’s lead, steadily rising in rank.

If one says that Third Master Qin’s prestige in the northwest is higher than the Emperor’s, then in Hami, Commander Liu is like a local emperor.

He himself was a rough man, illiterate, yet he wanted to marry a daughter from a literate family to change his family’s status. It wasn’t until he became a household head nearing thirty that he realized this wish, marrying a daughter from a poor scholar’s family.

But during childbirth, his wife had a difficult labor, gave birth to a daughter, and then died of hemorrhage.

Commander Liu, having gone through this, became somewhat disheartened and sent his daughter to be raised by her maternal grandparents, while he focused his efforts entirely on army affairs.

It wasn’t until eight years ago, through the matchmaking of friends, that he remarried Mrs. Qin and had a pair of twin children, finally feeling his life was complete.

While Susu was at home thinking about the Liu family’s matters, little did she know that Commander Liu was also talking about her at home.

"Is that wife of Hong Sheng’s boy coming to pay respects to you today?"

Qin looked at her husband, who was gulping porridge and yet managed to say a few words, and nodded somewhat helplessly.

She glanced at the three children eating obediently and said a bit helplessly, "The children are right here. What are you doing? It’s not right to talk while eating and stay silent while sleeping. You should set a good example!"

Commander Liu finished his bowl of porridge in a few gulps, smiled awkwardly, and said, "I’ll change next time, next time."

He once thought of marrying a literate wife so that their children wouldn’t become rough men like him. Who would’ve thought he’d end up marrying a noblewoman from Duke Zhen’s Mansion.

Colleagues and subordinates, wary of Duke Zhen’s Mansion and his brother-in-law’s power, congratulated him enthusiastically on the surface, but secretly mocked him for marrying a "widow!"

He immediately slapped them, knocking out their front teeth for their gossip. Bah, his wife merely encountered a scoundrel, and they were already divorced while that man was still alive.

If you want to talk about this, he’s the real widower. She is a noble daughter of Duke Zhen’s Mansion, with a considerable dowry and beautiful to boot, if she were to remarry, she could find anyone she wanted.

He, a rough man, having made money from war, how could he be worthy of her?

His friend allowed him to marry his sister partly to remove her from that troublesome place, and also because his character was seen as commendable.

Thinking about this, Commander Liu straightened his back. People marry based on family background and wealth, but he married based on character. What does that say? It says he has good character.

Qin saw her husband smirking again, not knowing what he was thinking, and it only left the three children looking at him puzzled. She quickly nudged him, as he wasn’t showing the demeanor of a strict father in front of the children.

Commander Liu snapped out of it, blushing. His wife was excellent in every way, but there were too many rules of etiquette. However, he didn’t dare to say this aloud.

"Though I didn’t come to the capital, I’ve heard a few things from my subordinates. That wife of Hong Sheng’s is a maid beside the Old Madam of the Shun’an Earl Mansion. There is a daughter in the Shun’an Earl Mansion who entered the palace and was titled Consort Xi. I hear the family’s younger generation is also quite accomplished."

After Qin listened, she replied, "I am aware of that family. My sister-in-law’s niece married the eldest son of their family as the heir’s wife. According to my sister-in-law, although they started as merchants, their family ethos is quite commendable, and their Old Madam is a wise person, holding considerable esteem before the Empress Dowager and Princess Changlong, and the Grand Princess Consort Gong. Those trained by her should not be lacking. But why have I heard that the city now describes their girl to be like a Rouge Tiger?"

Commander Liu couldn’t care less about these women’s matters and said indifferently, "Isn’t she supposed to come pay respects to you today? If she’s good, show her respect. If not, just don’t associate with her often. But Hong Sheng is quite capable. Look at me, it took twenty years of hard work, and now I’m merely at Third Rank. He’s only been in the northwest for two years and he’s already Fourth Rank. I reckon it won’t be long before that lad surpasses me."

Mrs. Qin wasn’t aware that her sister-in-law and daughter already knew Susu’s identity, but since Susu was now married to someone else, they naturally didn’t mention it to her. Who could’ve foreseen that Susu would have such an opportunity, marrying Hong Sheng and arriving in the northwest?

Susu, having breakfast, tidied up and was in the carriage before eight-thirty. The Hong Mansion was nearly across the entire East City from Commander Liu’s residence. As Susu traveled from the neighborhood’s streets, she gained a more direct understanding of the multiculturalism in Hami and the inclusive nature of the Han people.

The county capital is not big; a loop around couldn’t take half a day, let alone just going from south to north. Within a quarter of an hour, she arrived at Liu Mansion.

Susu now held the Fourth Rank mandate, only one rank lower than Qin. Thus, the Liu Mansion opened the side door to welcome her. Yet, since Susu was still junior, Qin did not personally receive her but sent a capable housekeeper and a maid by her side instead.

As Susu got off the carriage, the Liu mansion attendants who came to receive her felt as if the sun today was too bright, making them dizzy. How else can one explain their illusion?

Wasn’t it said Commander Hong’s wife was a maid? Her entire attire was as imposing as their madam’s and young lady’s. Could it be that those from the Capital even have maids different from other places?

Susu had long been used to the scene where people would stare blankly at her for a while. She did wish to wear a veil, but since she was visiting, covering up wouldn’t have looked appropriate.

The leading housekeeper mother was initially dazed, then shocked, and gazed at Susu with perplexed and amazed eyes, taking a long time to recover her wits.

Qing Liu, who had been with Qin since she married into the northwest, thought to herself that this Grandma Hong was indeed exceptionally beautiful, but her Young Mistress’s cousin was also remarkable. Seeing such figures frequently somewhat numbed her.

Qing Liu snapped back to reality, finding it odd that Mrs. Sun hadn’t said anything for so long. Mrs. Sun wasn’t like the ignorant lot below. She had come from the Capital with the madam and was the most esteemed after Nanny Wang.

Mrs. Sun had seen far more than she had, so why was she more affected?