Chapter 197: Chapter 197: Bad News (Part 1)
Xiqiu sighed; she knew with Xiao Yanzheng’s temperament, if she didn’t go out soon, he would likely send someone in to find her. She shook her head. It wasn’t as if she had done anything disgraceful, so why did it feel like she was the one hiding?
With this thought, she looked towards Sixing and said, "Let’s go out!" Sixing reluctantly lifted the curtain.
Xiao Yanyi saw Xiqiu indeed walk out from inside, his eyes flickered slightly. Xiqiu walked towards them calmly, curtsied to Xiao Yanyi, and said, "Elder Brother-in-law." She also greeted Teng Qiuniang, "Miss Teng!"
At this moment, Teng Qiuniang’s gaze at Xiqiu was no longer simply awkward. She looked down in embarrassment, returned Xiqiu’s greeting without knowing what to do, and mumbled, "I... I have been out for a quarter of an hour, so I will take my leave first!" After speaking, she hurried off alone without waiting for anyone to reply.
Xiqiu raised her eyebrows subtly and kept her head down, avoiding looking at Xiao Yanyi. However, Xiao Yanzheng felt puzzled, looking at Xiqiu and then at Xiao Yanyi, intuitively sensing something strange in the air.
Xiao Yanyi saw the usually composed and calm Sixth Sister seeming a bit off and awkward; he couldn’t help but smile. The fatigue and depression from the entire night dissipated. He knew if he continued to stay, Xiqiu would surely keep her head down. Smiling, he said to the two of them, "Enjoy yourselves, but be careful not to catch a chill." He added to Xiao Yanzheng, "Sixth Sister’s leg isn’t well; be mindful not to tire her."
Xiao Yanzheng nodded earnestly and replied, "I understand, Second Brother, go ahead with your tasks!"
Xiao Yanyi nodded towards Xiqiu, turned around, and went down the steps to the Lingbo Hall in the lake.
Xiao Yanzheng, full of disdain, curled her lips at Xiqiu and said, "Fifth Sister-in-law often praises Teng Qiuniang as a fairy, asking everyone to propose matches for her. Who would have thought Teng Qiuniang would be like this..." setting her sights on Second Brother! She lost interest and took Xiqiu’s hand, saying, "Let’s not stay here any longer; come to my place!"
Xiqiu couldn’t agree more; she couldn’t wait to leave!
The two of them returned to the garden hand in hand and went to Xiao Yanzheng’s room.
Sitting on the kang, Xiqiu finally let out the breath she had been holding in. She never expected to encounter such a situation. What was Teng Qiuniang thinking? Her family was quite reputable in Tongzhou, and it was said they even had a cabinet minister during the previous dynasty. Now, they even have members in the government. Although not noble, they are a scholarly family. For such a family’s legitimate daughter, there’s no way she would be sent to be a concubine. She should want to be a legitimate wife, yet she’s entangled with Xiao Yanyi. Does she want to stay in the Marquis Mansion and become a concubine to Xiao Yanyi?
Xiao Yanzheng leaned on a honeysuckle-patterned pillow, closed her eyes, and sighed, "Fifth Sister-in-law, who values face so much, is likely to be massively embarrassed. Second Sister-in-law isn’t an easy person. She has had no children for so many years, though she magnanimously agreed for Second Brother to take concubines. But any maid or decent girl he takes a look at always ends up with some problem within days, either falling ill or running away, otherwise getting punished for some inexplicable mistake. I remember a few years ago, a maid who came with her dowry, I can’t recall her name, but she was quite attractive. Second Sister-in-law said to make her a concubine, and personally sent Second Brother to her room that night. Before the lamps could be extinguished, she fell ill with vomiting and diarrhea. Second Brother hadn’t planned on it anyway, so he stayed with Second Sister-in-law, but the matter didn’t end. That maid fell ill with vomiting and diarrhea after a few days and passed away shortly after."
Second Sister-in-law claimed it was her fault, that the maid, taking care of her, contracted the illness.
She secretly laughed; how was it that she was fine, yet the robust maid died?
It was all for show; who didn’t know?
Xiqiu chuckled and replied, "Miss Teng is, after all, a young lady of a prestigious family. She was likely just momentarily confused and will think it through afterward." Men like Xiao Yanyi, gentle and elegant, dealing warmly with people, certainly have a significant attraction for typical girls, like Teng Qiuniang, like Tong Xiyu!
She thought for a moment, shook her head repeatedly, and her gaze inadvertently fell on the windowsill by the edge of the kang, where she saw the rain flower stone inscribed with the words "A World of Its Own." Her heart suddenly skipped a beat, remembering the stone she obtained at Puji Temple. The writing on it was identical to these four words. Her complexion changed slightly, and she pointed at the stone and asked, "Who carved the words on this stone?"
Xiao Yanzheng stood and looked at the stone, replying, "Second Brother!" She laughed, "You must have seen many bizarre stones in Second Brother’s room, right? He loves these things; he used to go into the mountains alone for days, and every time he returned, he’d have several stones in his bag. He also likes engraving words on them with a knife." She seemed delighted as she sat on the kang, caressing the stone’s inscription, "Once, he even inscribed the Preface to the Orchid Pavilion on a large Taihu Stone. It took him months. Father was still around then and scolded him fiercely, telling him to throw it away, but Second Brother wouldn’t. He even hugged the Taihu Stone to sleep at night."
Xiqiu smiled gently and asked, "He was quite young then?" Xiao Yanzheng nodded, "I think he was about eleven."
As Xiao Yanzheng animatedly spoke, Xiqiu smiled silently, but her mind was on the stone she held. If the inscription on it was indeed by Xiao Yanyi, how did it end up at Puji Temple and in that urn? If it truly was Xiao Yanyi’s, whatever the reason was initially, she could not keep that stone!
As the thought crossed her mind, Pingqiao lifted the curtain and entered the room, standing at the door to speak to Xiao Yanzheng, "Miss, Grand Dowager wants to see you." Xiao Yanzheng raised her brows and asked, "Did she say what it’s about?"
Pingqiao shook her head, "Second Young Master is also there!" Xiao Yanzheng just nodded silently.
Xiqiu stood up to bid farewell and left the room with Xiao Yanzheng. At the door, they parted ways, and she returned to Tong Xihua’s courtyard.
After entering the courtyard, Xiqiu went to Tong Xihua’s room first, where she seemed to rest for a moment. She was having a maid arrange her hair. Xiqiu silently stood behind her, and the room was quiet. After Tong Xihua had her hair beautifully done, she turned to look at Xiqiu and smiled, asking, "Did you stroll around the garden with the Second Miss?" Xiqiu nodded, and Tong Xihua continued, "Where all did you go?"
With her head down, Xiqiu recounted all the places she and Xiao Yanzheng visited that day, "We sat for a while in the Plum Garden; the wind was strong, but the wintersweet was in full bloom. The red plum blossoms peeked out from the white snow on the branches, reflecting beautifully, though the road was slippery and windy. Otherwise, if you had free time, it’d be nice for you to visit." She smiled at Tong Xihua, "We initially planned to play chess at the pavilion by the birch, but we ran into Brother-in-law, exchanged a few words, and then I returned with the Second Miss!"