Page 594 of Doted By The Regent King

The second day of the Lunar New Year was the day daughters who had married out would return to their natal families, yet Madam Zhou had already somewhat fallen out with her family.

Coupled with Wufu’s previous words, she had no intention of visiting Wozi Village to see her kin.

On the third and fourth days, she did attend the annual festivities at the neighboring Merchant Ma’s family, and on the sixth, she accepted Madam Ping’s invitation to go together to the Green Mountain Temple to pray and burn incense.

As for Wufu, she was busy carving the hairpin that Ah Jiu wanted every day at home, completely engrossed in her work until the sixth, when she could not withstand Madam Zhou’s cajoling and agreed to go worship with them.

"It is said that a girl’s life is the most carefree.

A young woman should also make several intimate friends among her peers to correspond with and confide in when idle.

Miss Ping has a mild and amenable temperament, and it would do you good, Wufu, to associate with her more," Madam Zhou said as she straightened Wufu’s collar.

Wufu had met Miss Ping, and possibly because she was born into an Official’s Family and taught etiquette strictly and methodically, she shared many similarities with her mother.

Her temperament was indeed gentle, but perhaps due to the loss of her father at a young age, such rigidity gave off a somewhat ponderous and gloomy air.

"Mother, my temper and that of Miss Ping, one is fire, the other water, we’re as different as heaven and earth!" Wufu said with a laugh.

She and Ping Caier were not on the same page. She had been brought up with the traditional education of a woman, skilled in needlework, while Wufu herself had been handling knives, spending her days practicing martial arts.

"Well, then your temperaments complement each other perfectly. Madam Ping also said Miss Ping is a bit too demure," Madam Zhou said with a laugh.

While Wufu was smiling, she inwardly disagreed, fearing that in their minds a girl should indeed be demure and gentle to be considered a lady from a distinguished family.

In the midst of their conversation, Qiu Xiang announced that the carriage was ready.

Now that their family circumstances were quite different from before, Wufu had bought two or three carriages for the household to have on standby, to avoid the inconvenience of renting from a livery stable whenever they went out.

So, for this outing, they took out two carriages: one for Madam Zhou and the mother and daughter Wufu, and the other for the maids and house servants to ride in.

Ever since Wufu had sent Qiu Ye to the estate, she immediately added more people to serve Madam Zhou, including a second girl brought up by Qiu Xiang, several strong maids, and a few sturdy house servants to the Wu Residence.

With the increase in people, Wufu felt the two-entry compound was getting cramped and thought about either buying a new place or expanding the current one.

But with so much else on her plate, she could only slowly make her plans.

"Madam Ping," Madam Zhou said as she stepped out and saw the Madam Ping from next door waiting for the servants to load the carriage.

"Mrs. Zhou," Madam Ping said with a gentle smile, her eyes flickering as she observed the grandeur on the other side.

She’d heard that the Wu Residence had quite a few new members and even bought new properties, all thanks to Mrs. Zhou’s daughter, a master of jade identification and a veritable Treasure Basin.

Now, she believed the servants’ reports were true; just looking at their entourage, as well as the mother and daughter’s attire, all of which was lavish, it was clear that they were well-off.

She had heard they were of rural origin and had moved in only half a year ago. In such a short time, their wealth had grown. Just how capable was Wufu, this Treasure Basin?

Madam Ping’s eyes fixated on Wufu, whom Madam Zhou hurried over to greet her. Observing her face, bright yet without losing a natural and unpretentious grace, she found that although Wufu was not exceptionally demure, she was certainly not lacking, and her gaze heated up.

"Good child, no need for such formalities," Madam Ping said, raising her hand with a smile.

Wufu felt somewhat awkward inside, and her back began to prickle. The way Madam Ping looked at her, it was like she was eyeing some delicious treat.