The mornings at Ji clan's estate were usually as unassuming as could be. The beginning of this particular day should not be any different.
Hai FenChu was keeping herself busy in the kitchen, boiling the herbs Wu JianRui usually drank as an aid for her weak physical disposition.
Ji ChanFang and Ji SongLi had not returned from the Imperial Palace since the day before when the banquet should have occurred.
Such matters, were always the matters of men. And the Ji Madams were not concerned with their husband and son anyway, as both men had often been away from home for days, and sometimes even months.
Despite that, after Hai FenChu finished boiling the herbal concoction, she instructed the kitchen servants to make two extra servings for breakfast, in case her son and husband were to return that morning.
If they did not, the servants could aways finish the extra.
Meng-momo came into the kitchen, much to Hai FenChu's confusion, as Meng-momo was usually always by Wu JianRui's side.
"Meng-momo. The herbs had just been boiled and I was about to go to Rui-jie's room...," she paused, as she saw the older woman's face was flustered, evidently trying to catch her breath. Meng-momo had clearly been running to the kitchen in haste.
"What ... happened?" Hai FenChu frowned, then she widened her eyes in worry,
"Has something happened to Rui-jie ??"
"F-f-first Madam is alright!!," Meng-momo stammered, waving her hand hastily.
Hai FenChu let out a relieved breath.
She chuckled lightly at the older woman's fluster. She did not understand the reason, but as long as the First Madam was alright, there should not be anything urgent to worry about.
Hai FenChu turned her body, intending to take the bowl of steaming herbal soup from the kitchen table. However, Meng-momo quickly caught her hand and dragged her out of the kitchen,
"The herbs can wait, Second Madam! You have to follow me!!"
Hai FenChu blinked her eyes as she let herself be half-dragged by the portly woman. The route was definitely familiar, she noticed that she was being escorted to the living room area, where the Ji clan usually received their guests.
She saw Wu JianRui first, who was talking to Ji ChanFang. Both were speaking to each other in low voices that she could not quite catch on to.
But Wu JianRui definitely looked normal, and Ji ChanFang also looked like usual. He had clearly just returned from the Imperial Palace, and his state of being was the same as ever - healthy, tidy, and not lacking of anything that she could observe.
In Hai FenChu's bemused opinion, Ji ChanFang's return from an overnight stay at the Palace was hardly something to drag her immediate attention for.
She faintly thought that Ji SongLi might have also returned, but even then, the young man was always in and out as he pleased. It was also not something Meng-momo should be flustered about.
Hai FenChu shifted her attention - slightly feeling disoriented from the half-running she had done all the way from the kitchen - to the other people in the living room.
Only then did she notice the Third Prince and his WangFei. They were conversing with two other people. Hai FenChu could only see their backs as they were facing away from her.
She could definitely recognize the tall, straight back of her own son, but she did not have the time to observe the other female figure by his side who was also talking with the Prince and Ji LanBai.
YOU ARE READING
One Lifetime Is Never Enough
Historical FictionShe thought she was going to die. She did. But the next time she opened her eyes , she found out that she was living a whole new life, as a little girl who was going to enter a noble household as a maid. However, a true pearl can never hide its lus...
