Chapter 192: Chapter 192: An Unexpected Encounter (1)
Xiao Yanzheng turned back, puzzled, and looked into the room, tilting his head as if deep in thought. Xiqiu and Tong Xiyan paused outside the courtyard near the soft sedan chair and said to Xiao Yanzheng, "Second Miss, you’d better go back. We’ll take the soft sedan chair home."
"Alright, I won’t escort you then." Saying this absentmindedly, he turned and entered the alley leading to his own courtyard. Xiqiu and Tong Xiyan got into their respective sedan chairs and returned to Tong Xihua’s courtyard.
As soon as they entered the door, Qiuping seemed to have been waiting for them at the entrance, greeted them with a smile: "The Second Madam said she’s feeling a bit unwell, so she won’t be dining with the two misses tonight!"
Tong Xiyan asked nervously, "Is sister unwell? Where is she unwell? Did you call the doctor?"
Qiuping shook her head and said, "She said it’s just a backache, no need to call a doctor!" Tong Xiyan, still concerned, turned to Xiqiu and said, "Sixth Sister, you go back first, I’ll go see Big Sister."
"Second Madam is asleep." Qiuping blocked Tong Xiyan, "How about this, when Second Madam wakes up, I’ll let Fourth Miss know?"
Tong Xiyan thought for a moment, deliberated, then nodded, "Fine! I’ll head back first then." He returned to their courtyard with Xiqiu.
Upon entering the room, Xiqiu’s face darkened, perceiving an unusual atmosphere at the Marquis Mansion today. She had seen Xiao Yanyi several times but never with such an expression on his face. Could something be wrong?
The court now was full of hidden currents; Fujian’s military situation was unclear. The Emperor had ordered General Xuantong to lead twenty thousand troops to Fujian for support, but the military order hadn’t even reached Xuantong. Yet, the General was thrown into turmoil after a drunken fight left a street ruffian injured, resulting in an Imperial Censor’s complaint, igniting a storm that exposed all the bribery and secret mining activities during General Xuantong’s three-year term... The court was aflame with the Imperial Censor’s spittle practically drowning the General. The Emperor, no longer robust, couldn’t withstand such a situation and hastily imprisoned the General, delaying troop deployment indefinitely.
In wartime, every second counts; she didn’t know how crucial these days were to Marquis Xuanning, but she realized there must be manipulation behind this, someone didn’t want Marquis Xuanning to return victorious, didn’t want the Fujian conflict resolved swiftly... Even she could see this plot, not to mention Xiao Yanyi or the Grand Dowager!
She sighed quietly, the laughter and gaiety constantly emanating from the Grand Dowager’s room, surely disguised a semblance of peace!
In the Grand Dowager’s room, Xiao Yanyi and Xiao Yanting sat beneath the Grand Dowager. Marchioness Xuanning personally brewed tea and handed it to them. Xiao Yanyi took the tea and sipped it while the Grand Dowager frowned slightly and asked, "What happened?"
Xiao Yanyi kept a solemn face, speaking in a low tone tinged with chill, "The Second Prince, while tending to the Emperor at the palace this afternoon, inadvertently offended His Majesty’s visage, and is now kneeling outside Baohetang. Cabinet Ministers Hu and Yang hurried to the palace upon hearing the news, but the Emperor hasn’t shown his face."
"Is that so?" The Grand Dowager furrowed her brows, "Did you find out what sparked the Emperor’s anger?"
Xiao Yanyi shook his head, "At the time, only the Emperor and the Second Prince were speaking inside Baohetang; later, the Second Prince emerged with a grim face and knelt outside by himself."
The Grand Dowager’s expression grew increasingly grave, sighing, "It means the Emperor did not accept the cabinet ministers Hu and Yang’s suggestions regarding the candidate for General Xuantong." Xiao Yanyi’s face turned somber and he nodded.
Every day the military dispatch delays, Xiao Yanzhi faces greater danger. The conflict in Fujian has run too deep to be fathomed by the current Xuanning Marquis Mansion; now, ensuring Xiao Yanzhi’s safe return is the only thing that matters.
The Grand Dowager looked at Xiao Yanyi and asked, "Are the experts you sought all gathered?" Xiao Yanyi nodded affirmatively, "A total of sixteen people, all recommended by friends from the martial world."
The Grand Dowager nodded, "Tonight, send them out of the city to Fujian without delay. No matter what happens, they must ensure your brother’s safety." Xiao Yanyi nodded seriously.
Xiao Yanting glanced at the silent elder sister-in-law, and thought: If even brother can’t handle it, sending those sixteen men is just going to their deaths!
"You should visit your father-in-law’s residence tomorrow and probe Second Master Tong’s intentions!"
Xiao Yanyi solemnly nodded, "Alright." Then he thought for a moment and said to the Grand Dowager, "Mother, shall I summon the Fourth Brother back? These days Fifth Brother and I have our hands full; with the Fourth Brother here, you could assign tasks to him if need be!"
The Grand Dowager narrowed her eyes slightly, snorted coldly with displeasure, "No need! I’m not so old as to be muddled yet!" The Grand Dowager turned her face and instructed Marchioness Xuanning, "It’s said Madam Zhou has caught a cold recently. Yuzhen, I still have a few hundred-year-old ginseng in my room; ask Nanny Wu to pack them for you, and go visit Madam Zhou!"
Marchioness Xuanning nodded in agreement.
The Grand Dowager sat quietly, recalling the words Old Marquis said after retiring following the late Empress Dowager’s passing, "Bearing humiliation and heavy burdens temporarily, to ensure the Xiao clan’s long-lasting prosperity!"
Her grip tightened around the teacup, uncertain of the mansion’s future, yet determined not to let the Xiao clan decline under her care!
After sending off the younger generation who came for morning greetings, the Grand Dowager returned tiredly to the kang bed. Marchioness Xuanning placed teacups brewed from both ends beside her, "Today I prepared melon slice tea for you; it’s light to drink in the morning!" The Grand Dowager nodded, picked up the tea but didn’t drink it, and asked, "Has Second Son returned?"
Marchioness Xuanning remained silent, while Nanny Wu replied, "Not yet; early this morning I asked at the outer courtyard, they said he went out yesterday afternoon and hasn’t returned since."
The Grand Dowager did not speak, her brows furrowed slightly. She looked at Marchioness Xuanning and said, "You’ve been busy all morning, go and rest; after breakfast, visit Count Wujin Mansion." Marchioness Xuanning then got up, performed a salute, and said, "Then I’ll go back." She lifted the curtain and left alone.
The Grand Dowager watched her departing figure and shook her head secretly. Nanny Wu sighed too; the Marchioness spoke less compared to before.
"Come with me inside." The Grand Dowager stood up, took Nanny Wu, and left the room, entering the inner chamber across, closed the door, and stepped to the area behind the green gauze window. Pointing to a locked trunk, she said to Nanny Wu, "No need to do anything else today, you and Qingyue should tally the accounts. We haven’t checked them in years, we need a clear grasp." Nanny Wu was stunned, "Madam, you..." The Grand Dowager had never cared for worldly possessions; for years she hadn’t asked about the finances, yet today she asked her to unlock and recount them... Nanny Wu clutched the Grand Dowager’s arm, eyes moist and said, "Are there no other options?" She had been in the Marquis Mansion for decades, never encountering such a situation, even when the Grand Empress Dowager was alive.