Chapter 240: Chapter 240: Countermeasure (3)
Unexpectedly, after a year, Lady and the concubine have brought up this marriage again!
She showed a mocking smile, it seemed the Lady was really impatient!
Seeing Xiqiu still calm and collected, Chunyan pulled her and said, "Miss, think of a way quickly, are you really going to let the Lady marry you off to Shandong?" Xiqiu slightly furrowed her brows, the Lady’s urgency indicated that her meeting with the Grand Dowager at the Marquis Mansion didn’t go well that day, so she was anxious to marry her off. In this way, there would be no choice for the Grand Dowager regarding the marriage at the Tong Mansion?
How ridiculous!
Xiqiu took Chunyan’s hand and whispered in her ear, "Tomorrow morning, go to Puji Temple once again, and invite Master Puning to come to the mansion in three days!" Chunyan, knowing Xiqiu had a plan, nodded and said, "Understood, Miss!"
Chunyan hurried out to prepare, while Xiqiu sat silently on the kang, when suddenly, the curtain was lifted, and Madam Xia rushed in, her face pale and her steps faltering. Startled, Xiqiu hurriedly stood up to greet Madam Xia, "Aunt, what happened to you?!" She then called to Sixing, who was organizing boxes in the room, "Quick, get a cup of tea."
"Aunt!" Xiqiu helped Madam Xia to sit on the kang, holding her cold hand she asked, "Shall I ask the Lady to call a doctor for you? Is your angina acting up again?" She said this while trying to get up, but Madam Xia held her back, took a breath, and said, "Sixth Miss... I’m fine!"
Xiqiu turned to look at her, took the tea passed by Sixing, and fed some to Madam Xia. Her complexion improved slightly, and Xiqiu, seeing she was okay, felt relieved. "But did something happen?"
Madam Xia then held onto Xiqiu’s hand, Xiqiu could clearly feel her trembling slightly, "Sixth Miss, Xiuzhi just told me that she heard the maid from Madam Mei’s room gossiping, saying the Lady wants to marry you off to Shandong, while the Eighth Miss will marry into the Marquis Mansion. Is it true?"
Xiqiu’s eyebrows twisted, Madam Xia eventually knew, she sighed and nodded. Seeing her affirmative response, Madam Xia’s eyes immediately reddened, "Do you know who this Young Master Hong from Shandong is? You absolutely mustn’t marry to Shandong!"
Xiqiu comforted her, calming her down, while Madam Xia pressed her hand, "No matter what, you mustn’t follow the Lady’s plan, I’ll write to your father right now and tell him about this!" With that, she impatiently stood up to leave.
Madam Xia had never been like this before, always like flowing water, doing everything at an even pace. Xiqiu hugged her sadly and shook her head, "It’s me worrying you!" She raised her head and looked at Madam Xia, meeting her gaze, "There’s no need to inform father, when the Lady arranged Young Master Hong for Third Sister, father did not oppose, what assurance do you have that father will be more concerned about me than about Third Sister?!"
Madam Xia was stunned, and Xiqiu smiled slightly, "Don’t worry, I have my own plan!" A woman’s marriage is a lifelong matter, Madam Xia had always thought at least the Lady would choose a normal match for Xiqiu, regardless of wealth or status, at least the other party should be normal, but unexpectedly it was a...
"Then let’s fight for it, have the Lady marry you into the Marquis Mansion, no matter what, marrying Young Master Hong is out of the question!" Xiqiu placed her hands on Madam Xia’s shoulders, "Aunt, Aunt!" She furrowed her brows and said, "Listen to me... There’s no need to fight for the Marquis Mansion’s marriage!"
Madam Xia looked at Xiqiu in surprise, full of confusion!
As Xiqiu talked with Madam Xia, Mei Yiniang and the Eighth Miss were also talking. Mei Yiniang smiled, reclining in her chair and looking at Tong Xiyu, "I wouldn’t have served the Lady humbly for all these years in vain, now the marriage at the Marquis Mansion has finally fallen to you!" She covered her mouth and suppressed a laugh, "I want to see who in the mansion dares to look down on us mother and daughter going forward!"
Tong Xiyu blushed and lowered her head, "Aunt, this marriage hasn’t been finalized, if heard by others, they will make fun of me."
Mei Yiniang waved her hand indifferently, confident, "Didn’t you see Madam Yang came today? Madam Yang came to propose, once the Sixth Miss’s marriage is settled, who in the mansion can compete with you!"
Tong Xiyu’s face was flushed, and Xiao Yanyi’s gentle, jade-like appearance appeared in her mind, would he really become her husband? She couldn’t believe it, yet it was true!
"Oh!" Mei Yiniang suddenly sat up, Tong Xiyu was startled and asked, "What happened?" Mei Yiniang held her hand and said to Tong Xiyu, "I need to prepare all the jewelry and silver I’ve saved over the years, Xuanning Marquis Mansion is a prestigious household, just the silver given for rewarding servants is in eighth silver ingots, the Lady cannot be expected to prepare much dowry for you, so I must carefully calculate!" With that, she hurried into the inner room, searching busily...
Tong Xiyu watched Mei Yiniang’s busy silhouette and smiled slightly, "Then you get ready, I’m going to visit Third Sister." Saying this, she went out, clothed in a pomegranate-red Sichuan red front-closure overcoat, like fire, dazzlingly bright, she walked by, the servants in the mansion lowered their heads and greeted her, Tong Xiyu’s back was straight, walking through the garden without looking aside, returning to the West Courtyard.
Seeing Eighth Miss coming, the woman guarding the corner door smiled and greeted, "Eighth Miss, where did you go so early in the morning?" Saying this, she took an umbrella from behind, "Though it’s only March, the sun is hot and stuffy, let the maid hold the umbrella for you!"
Tong Xiyu’s eyes flickered slightly, smiled turning around to the woman and said, "Then I’ll trouble you!" With that, she was assisted by the maid as they entered the door.
The Grand Dowager slapped the table, squinting angrily, "How could she do such a thing, spreading rumors so everyone knows that Yanyi and Miss Tong are engaged!" Even Old Madam Lou knew about this, it seemed the entire capital knew!
Nanny Wu sat on the side, took a teapot from the secret compartment of the carriage wall, poured tea for the Grand Dowager, her face was also livid. The Grand Dowager took the tea and sipped it, the two of them silently returned to the Marquis Mansion, as the Grand Dowager got off the carriage, she encountered Fourth Master Xiao coming out, she stood at the door looking at him angrily, "I haven’t seen you these days, what are you busy with? Your second brother has so much to deal with, and you don’t even think to help him!" Then, she recalled how the Marquis Mansion title was smoothly obtained thanks in large part to Fourth Master Xiao, her tone softened, "You should stay at home more, don’t always run outside!"
Fourth Master Xiao’s eyebrows furrowed slightly, then he replied, "How are you handling the matter with the Tong Mansion?" The Grand Dowager was puzzled, wondering why Fourth Master cared about these matters, only to hear Fourth Master Xiao continue, "There are rumors outside saying you agreed with Second Sister-in-law, decided the Tong Family’s eighth daughter as the continuation, the marriage settled, is it true?"
At the mention of this, the Grand Dowager showed anger, "Despicable deeds!"