[Through the Book] The ancestor only wants to live a long life

"That's right. Don't you see that all the people on this floor are from the third rank? The second rank ones are all on the second floor. It is said that the first rank and above are all on the third floor. Logically speaking, with Madam Rong's rank, she should be on the third floor."

"Who said these floors are divided by rank? Oh, didn't you see the wife of the Minister of Industry staying on the first floor?"

"Tsk, what good is the Ministry of Works? Even the emperor doesn't value this department, do you expect people to look up to you? Besides, the Minister of Works is only an acting minister now. If the word 'acting' is not removed, his rank can't be raised."

……

Rong Enqing didn't expect to encounter such a thing today.

Listening to the discussion, although she was angry, she suppressed her temper and pretended to be indifferent and said to Anyang County Lady with a smile: "The guest should follow the host's wishes. The host has his own intentions in making such arrangements. County Lady, please follow this maid upstairs. It's very cold standing at the door. I also want to go to my seat and warm myself by the fire."

Then he said to the little maid who was leading the way, "Please lead the way for me, young lady."

The little maid hurriedly said politely, "Madam, please come this way."

Another maid also said respectfully to Princess Anyang: "Please come upstairs, Princess Anyang."

But at this moment, the Princess of Anyang County looked gloomy and shouted loudly: "Wait!"

Before Rong Enqing could leave, Princess Anyang had already reached out and held Rong Enqing's arm, and said to the old woman, "I want to sit downstairs with Madam Rong, and not go upstairs. There are a bunch of old stubborn people upstairs who stick to the old ways, and I'm not interested in listening to their preaching."

Then he smiled at Rong Enqing and said, "Madam, do you mind if I sit with you?"

"Of course I don't mind." Rong Enqing responded sincerely.

Seeing that the two were about to go to the seats on the first floor together, the old woman hurriedly dissuaded them with an anxious look: "County Lady, this is not appropriate. Your seat is on the third floor, how can you sit on the first floor?"

"The Madam can sit on the first floor, so why can't I?" Princess Anyang pouted and suggested, "Then, how about letting the Madam go upstairs with me?"

"This..." The old woman's forehead was covered with cold sweat. "My wife only told me to ask you to go upstairs alone. Please don't embarrass me."

"Oh. Forget it. You go up and tell your wife that I'm afraid of heights and so I won't go up." After saying that, he ignored the old woman and helped Rong Enqing walk to an empty seat on the side.

Seeing that she couldn't invite Lady Anyang, the old woman winked at the little maid and hurriedly turned around and went upstairs.

The little maid respectfully led Princess Anyang and Rong Enqing to a vacant seat in the northwest corner of the first floor and asked someone to serve them tea and snacks before leaving.

***

On the third floor of Nuanxin Pavilion, Yang Shangshu's wife, Zuo, was entertaining the Prime Minister's wife, Old Madam Meng, the Grand Madam Yu from the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion, and Old Madam Zheng from the Duke of Anguo's Mansion.

Seeing her daughter-in-law, Sun, showing her head at the door with an unusual expression, Zuo smiled and apologized to a few people, then quickly left the living room.

Zuo led the group to the lounge next door, then looked at Sun in a reproachful manner, "Why are you coming up here when you're not on the second floor greeting the guests for me?"

Sun said the old woman's words with an unpleasant look on her face, and then said, "The Princess of Anyang County refuses to come up, what should we do?"

Zuo also frowned, "I arranged for Rong to sit on the first floor, but she didn't get angry on the spot?"

Sun shook her head, "No. Madam Rong has always been very calm, and she is always polite to the maids and the old women. You can't tell that she is angry."

"Oh, you're quite patient!" Zuo sneered, his tone full of disdain.

Sun looked at Zuo in confusion and asked, "Mother, why are we making things difficult for Madam Rong? Although the Shun'an Marquis's Mansion has a bad reputation in the capital, Madam Rong is a super-first-rank imperial official after all. Isn't it not good to humiliate her like this?"

Zuo's eyes were gloomy, and her emotions were surging. After a while, she calmed down and asked in a deep voice: "Who is our backer?"

Sun thought for a moment, then suddenly realized, "Mother, what you mean is that we did this on purpose for others to see?"

Zuo nodded, "Your father was able to be promoted to the capital, and the Imperial Concubine helped a lot. Moreover, our family and the Imperial Concubine's family are from the same place, and we are old friends, so I have long been labeled as the Imperial Concubine.

“The Imperial Concubine had also stated that the Yun family’s ancestors had killed her father, and that she and the Shun’an Marquisate were irreconcilable.

"I am doing this to show my loyalty to the Imperial Concubine, and also to let others know where we stand."

Sun thought about it and said worriedly, "But, mother, we have just arrived in Beijing. Wouldn't it be bad if we openly stand on the side of the imperial concubine? Will His Majesty be angry with father and our family because of this?"

Zuo chuckled and taught her daughter-in-law, "We were able to enter the capital because of the Imperial Concubine. If we were to enter the capital but not stand firm and instead waver and try to be tactful, His Majesty would be wary of us and even hate us."

"My daughter-in-law is stupid. Thank you for your teachings, mother." Sun accepted the advice humbly. "Then, what about Princess Anyang? Just leave her alone?"

Zuo shook her head. Compared with the Princess of Anyang County, a small humiliation of Rong Enqing seemed insignificant.

So, he ordered: "Okay, go to the first floor in person and invite Princess Anyang and Madam Rong to the third floor."

Sun hesitated and asked, "What if they don't come?"

Zuo frowned slightly and glanced at her daughter-in-law with a little displeasure, "Can't you use your brain? Say that the old woman just now made a mistake, apologize to Rong, and be polite, you can't even do this?"

Sun smiled carefully and said, "My daughter-in-law knows."

"Remember, you must invite Princess Anyang to the third floor no matter what." Zuo's tone was already a little impatient.

This young daughter-in-law is still not very smart. If it weren't for the fact that the eldest and second sons were officials, and their wives followed them in office, and only the youngest son was a commoner, and followed them to Beijing, she really didn't want to bring this young daughter-in-law with her.

As the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law came out of the lounge, they ran into Madam Yu from the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion coming out of the banquet hall.

A hint of displeasure flashed across Zuo's face, and then she smiled and greeted, "Why did Madam Yu come out?"

Madam Yu also smiled and responded, "I was a little tired from sitting there, and I saw that you had been out for a long time and didn't come back, so I came out to look for you and stretch my legs."

Zuo thought about what she had just said to her daughter-in-law, and after finding that there was nothing wrong, she smiled and said, "I was just explaining something to my daughter-in-law. Madam Yu, please forgive me for my poor hospitality. Now that we have explained everything, let's go back together."

As he said this, he invited Madam Yu to go with him.

Unexpectedly, Madam Yu stood still and said with interest, "Just now I accidentally heard Madam and your daughter-in-law talking about inviting Princess Anyang and Madam Rong to the third floor. Princess Anyang and I know each other, and I have a close relationship with Madam Rong. Why don't you let me go with you? Maybe I can use my old face better."

Zuo looked at Madam Yu's expression, and went over her words in her mind twice. Seeing that she didn't seem to be trying to defend Rong Enqing, she smiled politely and said, "That's great! With Madam Yu coming forward, I think the misunderstanding that just happened on the first floor can be automatically resolved."

Then he knelt down and saluted Madam Yu, "Then I'll trouble you to help me make the trip."

"Don't be polite, I'm just stretching my legs, it's just a casual thing." Madam Yu smiled and helped the man up.

Both of them tacitly ignored the fact that Madam Yu was eavesdropping outside the door.