The eyes of Ji Qingwu's birth mother, Mrs. Qiao, lit up.
'They've entered the city, which means they're not far from home.'
The one who had just been complaining impatiently was none other than Ji Qingyuan, the legitimate daughter of the second branch of the Ji Mansion.
The madam of the second branch, Ms. Wu, instructed the maid beside her, "Fuling, go get an umbrella for the Fourth Missy." She then patted Ji Qingyuan's hand reassuringly. "Your Eldest Aunt has been waiting at the gate since the crack of dawn. We've only been here for a moment. Let's be patient."
Ji Qingyuan clung to Ms. Wu's arm and whined, "You're the best, Mother. My skin is so delicate; I can't bear being scorched by this harsh sun."
Yet, while all the other ladies of the mansion were standing in the sun, Ji Qingyuan alone held up an umbrella.
Mrs. Qiao, the madam of the first branch, shot the mother and daughter a glance before looking away again.
She had no energy to bicker with the pair. Gazing out with desperate longing, she murmured, "Why aren't they here yet? Weren't they said to have already entered the city?"
Mrs. Qiao was over forty and had been waiting under the sun the longest. She had rushed to the mansion gates to wait almost as soon as the sky had lightened.
"Madam, please don't be anxious."
Nanny Li was consoling her when she suddenly spotted a column of riders and horses. She pointed joyfully into the distance.
"They're here! They're here!"
As the clip-clop of hooves grew louder, a carriage and its escort slowly came to a halt.
Ji Changlin dismounted first and bowed. "Greetings to you, Mother, and to you, Second Aunt."
But everyone's gaze fell past him, drawn to the slender, elegant hand that was lifting the carriage curtain.
Mrs. Qiao, who was normally the picture of reserved dignity and strict etiquette, was too anxious to stand still. She took the initiative and stepped forward to greet them.
But instead, a cherubic little girl hopped out of the carriage and threw herself directly into Mrs. Qiao's arms.
Nanny Li, who was standing beside her, gasped.
'Where did this adorable little cherub come from?'
The moment Mrs. Qiao saw the child's face and the jade pendant on her chest, she lost all composure. She burst into tears, hugging the child tightly as if she might shatter from the force of her sobs.
"My Xiao Wu... Mother has finally brought you back... My darling..."
The hand holding the curtain aside lifted slightly.
Another young woman emerged, one with delicate features and a gentle demeanor.
Ji Qingwu was still not showing her true face. 'But,' she thought, 'since I'm coming home to be acknowledged by my family, I can't be too heavily disguised.' So she had restored her appearance to about seventy or eighty percent of her original features.
Ever since entering the city, her heart had been heavy, wondering if the Ji Family would truly accept her and her child.
But when her gaze met Mrs. Qiao's, her heart couldn't help but tremble.
The woman before her wore her hair in an elaborate chignon and was dressed in a magnificent, dark green brocade gown trimmed with gold. She held Jiu Jiu in her arms, her face streaked with tears. The emotions in her eyes were complex, but it was easy to see they were filled with love and regret.
For some reason, Ji Qingwu felt her own eyes begin to moisten.
Seeing the young woman before her, Mrs. Qiao's confused mind suddenly cleared.
'Although the child in my arms looks like she was carved from the same mold as a young Xiao Wu, their ages don't match up.'
'This girl before my eyes... she must be my Xiao Wu!'
Mrs. Qiao tried to call out to her, but a fresh wave of tears streamed down her face. Nanny Li quickly steadied her.
"Madam, you'll frighten the child."
Ji Changlin reached out and helped Ji Qingwu down from the carriage.
She wore light makeup, her brows curved like willow leaves, and her eyes shimmered with a gentle smile.
Ji Qingwu had changed into the clothes Ji Changlin had specifically sent Lan Ling to purchase in town. She wore a long, pale green dress made of Cold Smoke Gauze, its cuffs embroidered with light pink lotus buds, creating a fresh and natural look.
While her attire was not as opulent as that of the other Ji Family ladies, it possessed a refined and artistic elegance.
Just then, a gust of wind stirred the hem of her dress, causing the light gauze to cling to her body and reveal a graceful, well-proportioned figure.
"Fifth Missy looks like a Lotus Fairy," one of the young maids murmured, utterly captivated.
Mrs. Qiao had already wiped her tears with a handkerchief. She looked at Ji Qingwu, then stared blankly at the little dumpling in her arms.
"You are... and this... this is..."
Ji Changlin quickly explained with a smile, "Mother, the person before you is our Fifth Sister. The one in your arms is Xiao Wu's daughter, Jiu Jiu."
Mrs. Qiao was utterly astonished and stood stunned for a moment.
In his letters home, Ji Changlin had only mentioned that he had found Xiao Wu. He wrote that she had lived a hard life, surviving in a small border town by grinding tree bark to sell for money, and had even learned stunts like how to split a table with one hand...
But he had never said that Xiao Wu was married, let alone that she had a child.
Seeing that the gateway was crowded and that more onlookers were gathering, Ji Changlin said, "Mother, let's go inside and sit down. We can talk more then."
Mrs. Qiao looked at her daughter, lost and now found, and held her granddaughter, a comforting weight in her arms. At last, her heart felt settled.
Though her throat was tight with emotion, her voice was firm as iron.
"Yes. Let's go home."
As she spoke, Mrs. Qiao took Ji Qingwu's hand.
Both of their palms were clammy with sweat, and they both paused in surprise.
Then, the ladies of the mansion stared, dumbfounded, as the ever-strict First Madam walked back into the estate, holding the child in her right arm and leading her daughter by the hand with her left.
The old madam of the mansion was still taking her afternoon nap and had not yet risen.
So everyone returned to their own courtyards for the time being, planning to go to Shou'an Hall together later to pay their respects to the old madam.
「Anju Garden.」
The small garden was lush with flowers and plants, and servants moved about in an orderly fashion, sweeping the paths and trimming the foliage.
Inside the main house, Jiu Jiu was nestled in Ji Qingwu's arms, her little eyes dull with sleepiness.
Nanny Li approached quietly and whispered, "Fifth Missy, you must be tired from your journey. Let me take the child so she can get some proper sleep. That will give you and the Madam a chance to talk."
Mrs. Qiao also explained softly to Ji Qingwu, "Nanny Li looked after you and your two brothers. She is very experienced. You can rest assured leaving the child with her."
Ji Qingwu had no reason to worry, so she passed Jiu Jiu to her.
After a moment's thought, she pulled a piece of old, faded cloth from her robes.
"Nanny, this is something Jiu Jiu likes to hold when she sleeps. Just place it beside her."
Nanny Li withdrew, leaving only mother and daughter in the room.
Smelling the faint scent of gardenia from Mrs. Qiao, Ji Qingwu felt her nerves begin to settle, the tension from before finally easing.
Seeing her daughter remain silent, looking so quiet and demure.
Mrs. Qiao asked hesitantly, "Xiao Wu, since you are already married and have a child... where is your husband now? Why didn't he return to Lin'an with you?"
Ji Qingwu had long expected her family to question her about Jiu Jiu's father.
She lowered her gaze and pursed her lips. "Ever since Jiu Jiu was born, her father has been at the Northern Army Camp, guarding the border."
Mrs. Qiao nodded and then asked, "Have you notified your husband about your return home?"
"I haven't had any news of him. I don't even know if he's alive or dead," Ji Qingwu said with a feigned sigh. "Perhaps he's already forgotten about us, or maybe he's already died in battle."
Mrs. Qiao's brow furrowed with heartache.
'All these years,' she thought, 'Xiao Wu has been wandering all alone, with no parents to support her. She probably just married some irresponsible man who doesn't care about her.'
'Her clothes are so simple, and she has no jewels in her hair. Compared to the other girls of her age in the Ji Family, her appearance is far too plain.'
'How could such a man be worthy of my Xiao Wu?'
Mrs. Qiao's expression shifted, becoming resolute. "Xiao Wu, he's dead."
Ji Qingwu's eyes widened. "..."