It's been half a month since Susu was brought here, and this is the first time she's stepped out of her room.
The Duke Li's Mansion has five branches of legitimate and concubine families. Every girl must move out of their birth mother's courtyard at the age of ten, while boys do so at six.
Susu is currently residing in Aunt Su's Jingchen Residence.
The reckless father, who is the master of the first family, is the current Duke Li. He has one wife and five concubines. Together with the original wife, they have three sons and four daughters, with Ruan Susu being the youngest.
In this capital city where every inch of land is valuable, Duke Li's Mansion is quite large. It used to be a Prince Mansion from the previous dynasty, a compound-style, seven-entry courtyard. There are three gardens, and features such as covered walkways, halls, gatehouses, and side courtyards that made Ruan Susu feel like Granny Liu visiting the Grand View Garden.
Cui Jin followed her young lady, seeing her with some vigor, and smiled: "Didn't I say the young lady should come out more often? It's not too cold outside yet, the chrysanthemums are in full bloom, it is a good time to take a walk."
Ruan Susu nodded, thinking she should take some time to stroll in the garden and look at the glass greenhouse.
Jingchen Residence, part of the main house's side courtyard, is accessible by a covered walkway leading to five large principal rooms. There are wing rooms with deer-topped dormers and a mountain drill, grand and magnificent, far more imposing than the small side courtyards where the concubines lived.
On the steps sat several young maids in yellow silk jackets and green vests. Upon seeing Ruan Susu, they quickly rose and saluted, saying, "Greetings to Miss Thirteen." Then a young maid went inside to announce her arrival, and soon a maid who appeared to be a sixteen or seventeen-year-old senior maid walked out.
"Greetings to Miss Thirteen. Madam was just talking about you, you happened to come."
Ruan Susu knew this young girl was a senior maid beside her Legitimate Mother, very dignified, and addressed her as "Chun Xiao Sister."
Chun Xiao smiled and said, "Young lady, please come in." With three or four young maids holding up the curtain.
Following Chun Xiao into the inner chamber, a fragrance wafted over her, Susu glanced quickly and saw a room full of small and beautiful ladies like blooming fresh flowers.
The hall was broad and bright, with stone-carved flower tiles on the ground, scrolls, and hanging screens on the walls, and delicately placed incense burners and vases on the table.
On the large kang by the window sat a beauty who looked no more than twenty-five or twenty-six, wearing a bright red gown with a dark gold chrysanthemum pattern and peach blossom embroidered collar, and a vermilion embroidered horse face skirt below.
Her jet-black hair was styled into a fallen horse bun, with three red gold inlaid ruby peony hairpins slantingly inserted, strikingly beautiful and noble, she was none other than Duchess Li, Madam Qin.
In fact, Madam Qin was already over thirty, but well-maintained, she looked very youthful.
Sitting on the right was Madam Qin's own daughter, Ruan Qiniang. Two rows of eight chairs were set on the floor, covered with silver-red chair covers, with footrests below, and a high table beside, holding teacups and snacks.
Ruan Susu only took a quick glance without raising her head, respectfully followed her memory to greet her Legitimate Mother and then greeted the various aunts and two sisters.
Madam Qin beckoned Ruan Susu to come closer, sat her by her side, examined her complexion, and felt her hands to check if they were cold before saying, "It seems much better now. In a few days, you should go to the study and play with your sisters. Get out more in your daily life, don't always stay cooped up in your room."
She did not mention Aunt Su, probably fearing to upset her again, showing she indeed had a kind heart.
After a while, a maid came to inquire if it was time to set up breakfast.
The group then moved to the flower hall, with the Legitimate Mother and the three young ladies seated, and the four aunts standing behind, serving pastries and water, as if everyone was accustomed to it.
Ruan Susu saw a table full of thirty-six small plates, containing food both known and unknown to her, and without her own aunt present, being a food lover, she devoured as she usually did.
Unfortunately, her body had a poor appetite, and even after half a month of conditioning, she only managed to eat two Jade shrimp dumplings, a small steamed roll, a bowl of bird's nest porridge, and a fingertip-sized rose cake.
Even this cat's worth of food was enough to stun everyone present, wondering when the Thirteenth Lady had become so gluttonous.
Ruan Susu blushed a little, and softly said, "The young maid said eating more will make you healthier."
Madam Qin laughed, "That's true! But your stomach has always been weak, you can't start eating like this suddenly, you need to take it slow."
After the meal, Madam Qin sent the aunts back and took the three young ladies to the Old Madam's Rongle Hall.
The Duke Li has four daughters. The eldest, born to the original wife's personal maid, now Aunt Liu, is already married. The remaining three are the seventh, tenth, and thirteenth among the sisters, aged twelve, ten, and seven respectively.