In the evening, Yuanyuan finally understood what it meant to have hands hurt from shelling walnuts. Jiang Yingyue came with two maids, carrying two baskets of walnut kernels for the mistress, saying they were freshly obtained that day.
Madam Jiang was overjoyed. She took Jiang Yingyue's hand and said, "Yingyue is still the filial one. You always remember I like these. You didn't do it yourself, did you? Shelling walnuts hurts your hands."
Jiang Yingyue raised her eyebrows towards Gu Liyue. Knowing that Gu Liyue was not the type to complain, she just shook her head proudly. "Don't worry, aunt. I didn't shell them."
Madam Jiang patted Jiang Yingyue's hand. Then she turned to Gu Liyue and said, "By the way, it will be the princess's birthday in a few days. You should go with us."
Gu Liyue frowned slightly and responded.
Madam Jiang continued, "How many days will it take to embroider a longevity picture the size of an embroidery screen?"
Jiang Yingyue was taken aback and tensed up. Although she hadn't completely ruined Gu Liyue's hands, she had at least injured them. She hadn't expected her aunt to ask Gu Liyue to do embroidery work that day.
Gu Liyue frowned and said, "Madam, I'm really sorry. My hands got a bit injured today. I'm afraid I won't be able to embroider in the next few days."
Madam Jiang immediately let go of Jiang Yingyue and pulled Gu Liyue over. She examined her hands carefully and seeing her fingers wrapped up, she quickly asked, "What happened? How did you hurt your hands?"
Gu Liyue smiled faintly. "It's just a minor injury. Madam, don't worry. It will get better in a while. But I'm afraid I won't be able to embroider the longevity picture."
Madam Jiang waved her hand. "If you can't embroider it, then don't. I've already prepared the gift. It doesn't matter. You must take good care of your hands. Yuanxiao, these days, you go and serve the young lady with Yuanyuan."
Jiang Yingyue didn't care about being angry. She just let out a big sigh of relief. Although she believed that even if Gu Liyue complained, her aunt wouldn't do anything to her, she would still be nervous if she really made her aunt unhappy.
Madam Jiang then asked someone to bring some ointment. "How on earth did this happen? A girl's hands are like her second face. I've finally managed to make your hands look decent. Why... "
Just then, Jiang Che strode in. "Mother, Che'er comes to pay respects to you."
He looked up and saw Gu Liyue taking her hands away from his mother's. Both of her hands were wrapped in gauze, clearly showing that she was injured.
Anger welled up in Jiang Che's heart. This woman! It was just a minor injury. Was it really necessary for her to make such a big deal out of it and come here to complain to his mother? No wonder Yue'er said this woman was always being difficult.
He didn't even care about paying respects. He stood up abruptly, pointed at Gu Liyue and said, "It was me who asked you to shell the walnuts. What? Are you spouting nonsense in front of mother again, trying to make mother blame Yue'er, right?"
Gu Liyue looked up in surprise and immediately hid her hands behind her back.
But Madam Jiang sensed something. She asked sternly, "Che'er, what are you talking about?"
Jiang Che said coldly, "Mother, if you want to blame someone for this, just blame your son. It has nothing to do with younger sister."
Madam Jiang looked at Jiang Che, then at Jiang Yingyue who was shrinking her neck on one side, and then at the two baskets of walnuts on the table. She was both anxious and angry. She turned and grabbed Gu Liyue's hand. "Liyue, let me have a look at your hands."
Gu Liyue quickly waved her hand. "Madam, it's okay. Really okay..."
"What are you pretending for?" Jiang Che couldn't help it. "You deliberately wrapped your hands like that. Isn't it just to speak ill of Yue'er in front of mother?"
"Che'er!" Madam Jiang stared at Jiang Che fiercely. "Kneel down for me!"
Gu Liyue knelt down first and kowtowed. "Madam, if my arrival only brings chaos to your family, I'd rather I never came. Madam, you've been so kind to Liyue. Shelling a few walnuts is nothing compared to your kindness. Liyue did it willingly. Please don't punish the young master and the young lady."
Madam Jiang's eyes were completely red. She squatted down and hugged Gu Liyue in her arms, choking with sobs. "Yue'er... was always so sensible. Even when she had a high fever, she still told me it was okay and asked me to be more understanding of her father... If I had been a bit tougher back then, if I had... Yue'er wouldn't have left me..."
Gu Liyue held Madam Jiang's hand. "Madam, since you said the eldest young lady was so sensible, if she saw you suffering like this for so many years because of her, how sad and worried she would be."
Madam Jiang sobbed. "I'd rather she was not so sensible. Besides, how could she know my sadness?"
Gu Liyue said, "Yunniang said that the deceased will be in the sky, watching over the loved ones they care about the most. Madam, the eldest young lady must have cared about you the most. She must have been watching you from the sky."
Madam Jiang looked at Gu Liyue, held her face in her hands, and finally couldn't hold back her tears and cried loudly.
Jiang Che and Jiang Yingyue retreated. Because of Madam Jiang's sadness, they were also in a bad mood.
Jiang Yingyue lowered her head and complained. "If it weren't for her, there wouldn't be so many things."
Jiang Che turned to look at Jiang Yingyue. He was only five years old when his elder sister passed away and didn't have many memories of her. When he got a bit older, Jiang Yingyue came to their family and became his younger sister.
But at this moment, he was a bit confused. Was Jiang Yingyue really his younger sister? He vaguely remembered his elder sister. She was only a bit older than him, but she would blow the egg custard cool bit by bit and carefully feed it to his mouth.
His elder sister was always gentle. It seemed that she was more like the young girl hugging his mother in the room.
Seeing that Jiang Che kept looking back and not moving, Jiang Yingyue pulled his sleeve. "Third brother, am I right? Since Gu Liyue came, aunt has always been like this..."
Jiang Che was a bit flustered. After thinking for a while, he said, "You... don't let her shell walnuts anymore in the future."
Jiang Yingyue was taken aback. "Third brother?"
"She's an embroideress. She..." Jiang Che didn't finish his sentence and turned around and ran away.
Jiang Yingyue stood there with her mouth half - open. Her hatred grew stronger. In the whole mansion, the one closest to her in age was Third Brother. Third Brother was different from the eldest and second brothers who only cared about court affairs. Third Brother was the one who loved her the most.
But now, Third Brother actually spoke up for such a person.
Gu Liyue, can you cast spells? Aunt, Third Brother, one by one, they all side with you! But you're just a country girl. Do you think you can easily gain a foothold in the capital? Impossible.
August 22nd was the princess's birthday. Early in the morning, Yuanyuan and Yuanxiao served Gu Liyue to get up.
Gu Liyue knew that she would be going out to meet guests that day, so she let Yuanyuan and Yuanxiao dress her up in a fancy way. People in those days judged others by their clothes first. Regardless of her family background, she couldn't wear her old ordinary clothes anymore.
To make Madam Jiang happy, Yuanxiao styled Gu Liyue's hair into double buns. There were golden bells and red silk flowers on her head. She was wearing a light yellow dress. She looked like a girl of thirteen or fourteen.
Madam Jiang looked at her and was really overjoyed. She took Gu Liyue's hand and sized her up, praising her repeatedly. "Liyue is really beautiful. I'm so lucky to have a daughter like you. My old friends will surely envy me later."
Gu Liyue didn't know if Madam Jiang's old friends would envy her, but she saw Jiang Yingyue standing on one side with a stiff face.