My niece Xiao Gu, Yan Yinyao looks 70% like the Concubine Dowager, but there is a hint of sadness between her eyebrows and her body is thin, not as graceful and elegant as the Concubine Dowager.
She was wearing a straight cotton jacket made of light blue satin, a navy blue cape, and a high round bun with a silver phoenix hairpin in the middle and a small white flower pinned on her left temple.
Looking at her attire, one could tell that she was a well-mannered person. Even though she was in mourning, she did not enter the house in mourning clothes. Jiang Changning had a better impression of her.
"Sing a song." The concubine shouted in a tearful voice.
Yan Yinyao took a few quick steps and threw herself into the Dowager Concubine's arms, "Aunt."
"My poor child." The concubine hugged him and sobbed.
"Mom, mom, wow, mom." The little girl who was following behind Yan Yinyao and was held by a young woman seemed to be frightened by the two people who were crying and hugging their heads.
The little girl was about two years old, with a chubby face and big, blinking eyes. She was very cute, but she didn't look much like Yan Yinyao. She looked more like her biological father who passed away early.
Jiang Changning quickly tried to persuade them, "Mother, my cousin has had a hard time on the journey. You should go inside and sit down and talk slowly. The two of you are frightening the child."
Upon hearing this, Yan Yinyao wiped away her tears, went over and hugged her daughter, "Mi'er, don't be afraid, this is your mother's aunt, your great-aunt."
The little girl was a little shy. She buried her head in her mother's shoulder and didn't dare to look at people.
Jiang Changning said softly, "Cousin, it's cold outside, take the child inside."
Yan Yinyao smiled at Jiang Changning, "Cousin."
After entering the hall, Yan Yinyao put her daughter down, saluted to the imperial concubine politely and asked, "Yinyao greets aunt, long live aunt."
Then he bowed to Jiang Changning and said, "Yin Yao greets my cousin, may you live long and happy lives with me."
"Cousin, please don't be so polite." Jiang Changning helped her up.
"Aunt, cousin, this is my daughter Zeng Mi, the Mi that means peaceful all over the world. Mi'er, pay your respects to your aunt and your cousin." Yan Yinyao said to her daughter.
The little girl was very young. She grabbed Yan Yinyao's skirt and hid behind her. She timidly poked her little head out to look at the concubine and Jiang Changning.
The cute little appearance amused Jiang Changning, "Cousin, please stop embarrassing the child. She is so young, why should we perform formalities? Please sit down."
After Yan Yinyao and her daughter sat down on the chairs, Princess Kang Ren stepped forward and saluted, "Kang Ren greets my cousin. I pay my respects to my cousin. Long live my cousin."
"Kang Ren has grown so big." Yan Yinyao had seen Princess Kang Ren when she was young. "Time flies so fast. In the blink of an eye, several years have passed."
The little baby back then has grown into a young girl now.
And she also went from being a girl in the boudoir to a widow.
Yan Yinyao took out the gift she had prepared, a pair of white jade twisted wire bracelets.
Jiang Changning also ordered Xiulan to bring out the gifts for Zeng Mi, including educational pictures, jigsaw puzzles and other toys.
"Yin Yao, it's your aunt who has misled you." The concubine looked at Yan Yin Yao with tears in her eyes.
Ever since she learned that Yan Yinyao was a widow, the Concubine Dowager deeply regretted being blind and choosing a short-lived husband for Yan Yinyao.
"This is my fate, please don't blame yourself, aunt." Yan Yinyao has accepted the fact that her husband died young and she is a widow.
"Mother, my cousin has had a hard journey. Why don't you let her go to the yard to rest, wash up, and then we can talk." Jiang Changning said.
Yan Yinyao looked at Jiang Changning with gratitude. She had cried so much these days that her tears seemed to have run dry. She didn't want to indulge in such grief.
Besides, my aunt is old, and if she is too sad and becomes unwell, it will be her fault.
In the evening, Prince Jin returned home and the cousins met in Liuxuanyuan.
Yan Yinyao bowed respectfully and said, "Greetings, cousin. My aunt took pity on my mother and I, who are alone and helpless, and took us to live in her house. I am sorry to bother you, cousin and his wife."
"You don't have to be polite, cousin. We are close relatives, and it is only natural for us to look out for each other. Your cousin's wife is a kind person, so you can stay here with peace of mind. There is no need to feel restrained." Prince Jin said with a faint smile.
This just fits the saying: If a woman wants to be pretty, she should be dressed in filial piety, and if a man wants to be handsome, he should be dressed in soap.
Jiang Changning watched coldly from the sidelines. Both of them looked very calm and didn't look like they had any secret feelings for each other.
Yan Yinyao and her daughter stayed in the palace from then on, and Jiang Changning provided them with all their daily expenses, and never treated them badly.
The next day was the Dowager Concubine's birthday, but due to the ban, no guests could be invited to a banquet, so only a small banquet was held in the mansion to celebrate for her.
Apart from the Prince of Jin and his wife and Princess Kang Ren, there were only Yan Yinyao and her daughter, and no other guests.
The birthday gift Yan Yinyao gave to the concubine was a white jade Guanyin, "May my aunt live a long and healthy life, and everything goes well."
"Good boy." The concubine's face was full of kindness.
Because Yan Yinyao and Princess Kang Ren were both in mourning and did not eat meat, Jiang Changning specially arranged a separate banquet.
Looking at the exquisite vegetarian dishes in front of her, Yan Yinyao said nothing on the spot. After the banquet, she thanked Jiang Changning, "Yinyao has caused trouble to my cousin's wife."
"Cousin, you don't have to be so polite. It's just a matter of words. It's not a big deal." Jiang Changning said with a smile.
"My cousin's wife treated Yinyao well, and Yinyao will always remember it in her heart." Yan Yinyao knew that not everyone was willing to say this.
Jiang Changning smiled, "My dear cousin, please stop being so unkind to me."
After a few days, it was Laba Festival.
Early in the morning, Jiang Changning sent away his concubine who came to pay her respects and went to Liuxuan Courtyard.
At the gate of the courtyard, they met Yan Yinyao and her daughter who came to pay their respects to the imperial concubine.
"Cousin."
Zeng Mi called out in a baby voice, "Aunt mother."
"Mi'er is so good." Jiang Changning reached out and touched her little face. "Cousin, Mi'er is still young and the weather is cold. It's better not to bring her here. Let her sleep a little longer."
After a pause, Jiang Changning continued, "Mother has always been generous and would not argue with the younger generation about such empty formalities. Look, even I, Mother, have been exempted from the morning and evening visits."
Jiang Changning couldn't bear to see Zeng Mi's fair and tender face turned red by the cold wind.
"My cousin's wife is right. Yinyao is too pedantic." Yan Yinyao said seriously.
"It's windy here, it's chilly. Let's go inside and talk." Jiang Changning said with a smile.
When the maid saw them coming, she hurried inside to report.
When he saw the Concubine Dowager, Zeng Mi followed his mother and greeted her in a proper manner.
"Mi'er, come here, come to your aunt's place." The concubine waved at Zeng Mi.
Yan Yinyao gently pushed her daughter on the shoulder and said, "Go."
"Grandmother." Zeng Mi ran towards the concubine.
Jiang Changning's eyes flickered when she saw this. She had been too nosy before. Yan Yinyao brought Zeng Mi to pay her respects, probably with the intention of cultivating feelings with the Concubine Dowager.
"Mother, today is Laba Festival, and my daughter-in-law is going to the porridge stall." Jiang Changning was about to leave the house, so he came to report.
"Go and do your own thing." The concubine touched Zeng Mi's little hand again and again, without raising her head.
Jiang Changning bowed, then walked out, went straight out of the house and went to the porridge distribution place.