Climbing on the Sparrow Branch – CH 725

Chapter 725: Mother-in-Law

An Zhi ate some food with Pei Que, and after a quick wash, they went to bed together.

The next morning, Master and Madam of Zhang Huai’an moved next door with their three daughters. As the hostess, An Zhi naturally went to help. A banquet was held at noon, and after a busy morning, the Zhang family was temporarily settled next to the Pei Mansion.

The two families were only separated by a wall, so news of anything could reach them quickly.

After the lunch banquet, the Zhang family hurried back to settle in, and An Zhi tactfully did not follow them. After An Zhi took a nap, Chunlan came to report that her co-sister-in-law and cousin had arrived.

Now that Pei Que was establishing the Pei household, all titles had to be based on him. An Xu was Pei Que’s brother-in-law, so Huiping was now her co-sister-in-law.

As for the cousin, she was not her and An Xu’s cousin but rather the cousin of An Zhi’s co-sister-in-law.

During An Zhi’s absence from the capital, Huiping and Li Sihui had been seeing each other more often. Now, given the Pei family’s special status, they were worried about the child saying the wrong thing, so only the adults came.

An Zhi was in a good mood upon seeing her sister-in-law and cousin. “Please sit down.”

Li Sihui had grown taller and was no longer a little girl. Her oval face was charming and cute; she was at the age of blossoming youth. She greeted her cousin and slowly sat down.

Huiping, impatient, asked, “Where’s Yue’er? Why did you not bring her out for us to see? I wanted to come yesterday, but my mother insisted I wait a day, saying you must be busy since you just got back.”

An Zhi smiled and said, “Yue’er is taking a nap. Her wet nurse will bring her out when she wakes up. Sister-in-law, please sit down; let’s talk for a while.”

“Oh, you’re still so unhurried.” After Huiping sat down, her maids brought in gifts. “We know your household’s much less well-off, so these are all good things I picked out from my dowry, all for you.”

Huiping’s dowry was naturally quite substantial.

Li Sihui also brought gifts, not as valuable as Huiping’s, but gifts prepared with care by mother and daughter.

An Zhi accepted them with a smile. Reunited with old friends, they naturally had much to say.

Huiping was doing well; her children were all healthy. It was only An Xu, far away in the Northwest, that she often worried about.

Li Sihui, now older and more composed, remained unchanged, simply waiting for her brother to come of age and divide the family property.

After the three chatted for a while, the wet nurse led Yue’er in.

As soon as Huiping saw Yue’er, she excitedly rushed over and picked her up, frightening Yue’er into tears. It was not until Chunlan taught Huiping to soothe Yue’er with food that she stopped crying.

“Your Yue’er is so chubby and fair-skinned, so adorable! Her eyes are like Pei Que’s, and her nose like yours; she’s truly beautiful.” Huiping grew increasingly fond of her, and in front of An Zhi, she held nothing back. “Such a beautiful little girl; she should be my daughter-in-law. My mother’s upbringing will surely be excellent; she’ll inherit the vast Princess’s Mansion and be born with a title. And with me as her mother-in-law, she certainly will not suffer.”

Huiping’s son was less than a year younger than Yue’er. This difference might be significant in most families, but Huiping never cared about such things.

Yue’er did not understand her aunt’s words, only that her aunt kept smiling at her and praising her beauty, so she kept smiling back.

An Zhi covered her mouth and laughed, “Sister-in-law, you’re thinking too far ahead. They are still so young. If they are truly meant to be, they’ll naturally see eye to eye when they grow up.”

Huiping was a straightforward person, and the Grand Princess was capable; her daughter would not suffer if she married into such a family.

But more than family background, An Zhi hoped her daughter would marry a good husband to avoid marital discord.

“Yue’er is adorable. If I had a son, I’d like to bring Yue’er home too,” Li Sihui chimed in with a smile.

Thinking of the Li family’s current situation, An Zhi asked a few more questions about Li Sihui’s brother’s studies. Learning that he was highly regarded by his teacher, An Zhi felt a little relieved.

An Zhi’s aunt was not particularly close to her, but her aunt was upright and had shown her concern before. So now that the Li family had lost its title, Madam Li and her two children were in dire straits. If needed, An Zhi was willing to offer some assistance.

Huiping held Yue’er and played with her until Yue’er was tired, then reluctantly handed her back to the wet nurse.

After her arms were empty, Huiping remembered something important. She quickly sat down next to An Zhi and took out a letter from her sleeve. “This is something your brother asked me to give you. He said it’s very important. He’ll not even let me see it; you and Pei Que must read it together.”