CHAPTER 326: CHAPTER 326: THE GRAND WEDDING (PART 6)

That night, she invited Chunyan, Chunliu, as well as Biwu, Xi’er into the room and asked, "What are your thoughts?" Chunyan knew exactly what Xiqiu was asking about and immediately knelt on the ground, replying, "I will be following Miss no matter where you go. The servant will never be apart from Miss by even a step."

Xiqiu smiled and nodded before turning to Chunliu. Chunliu also knelt beside Chunyan and replied, "Previously, with sisters Siliu, Sixing around, the servant didn’t frequently stay by Miss’s side, and the relationship naturally can’t compare with them, but I’m wholeheartedly loyal to Miss. Regardless of whether Miss takes me along, I have no complaints."

"Of course I want to take you along." Xiqiu smiled and nodded, her gaze landed on Xi’er. Xi’er hesitated, nearly crying, "Miss... the servant..."

"Speak up, I called you all here because I want to hear your thoughts." Xi’er glanced at Xiqiu, then twisted her fingers and said, "My parents are in the mansion, I... I want to stay."

As expected, Xiqiu nodded and said, "Alright, I will keep your future dowry money for you: do you have any other requests?" Xi’er was shocked, not expecting Xiqiu to have thought so far ahead; immediately, Xi’er knelt at Xiqiu’s feet, crying, "Miss, you treat me so well, yet I... I..."

Xiqiu pulled Xi’er up, wiped her tears and comforted her, "You are different from Chunyan and Chunliu, your parents are here to protect you, so I feel more at ease with you staying." Xi’er lowered her head and said, "But... but I can’t bear leaving Miss."

Xiqiu chuckled, "I’m not marrying far away, I’ll often visit." After saying this, Xiqiu turned to the wide-eyed, confused Biwu, raising an eyebrow and asked, "What about you?"

Biwu tilted her head in curiosity and answered, "Miss, if I follow you, will you make me a concubine?" Xiqiu was taken aback, not expecting this from Biwu. Both Chunliu and Chunyan altered their expressions upon hearing this; Chunliu even reached out to pinch Biwu’s arm and scolded, "Little wench, you’re already thinking about this before anything even happened! I’m telling you, don’t even think about it, if you dare entertain any inappropriate thoughts, I’ll be the first not to forgive you."

Biwu cried out in pain, covering her arm with reddened eyes, waving her hand, "No, no! I just heard people say that those accompanying Miss with the dowry are often made into concubines. My mother told me, even if I marry a beggar in this life, I mustn’t become the concubine of a rich family. So... so I... I just wanted to ask clearly."

Xiqiu chuckled and had Chunliu release her grip, pulling Biwu up as she said, "Did your mother ever tell you, everyone’s life path is walked by themselves?"

Biwu nodded profusely, "Miss, what you said is different from my mother. My mother said, if I don’t want to yet can’t resist, I should either shave my head or fling myself into a well. I must not bring shame to our Zhu family’s ancestors!"

After speaking, she appeared ready to face death, prompting Xiqiu, Chunyan, and Chunliu to burst into laughter, while Xi’er went further to tug at Biwu’s mouth, "On such a good day, you’re speaking nonsense."

The next day, Xiqiu had Chunliu find Bihuai, who had grown taller since entering the mansion, her handsome features and fair skin more prominent. She respectfully knelt before Xiqiu, who then asked, "Do you know why I’ve called you?"

Bihuai thought for a moment, nodded and replied, "I know! Miss wants to ask if I am willing to accompany Miss to the Marquis Mansion!" Xiqiu raised an eyebrow, her intuition was right, "How did you know?"

"I have inquired: when the mansion’s previous two young misses got married, each had four major servant girls and two old maids accompanying them. I assume Miss would be no exception, but since Xi’er sister is born in the mansion, Miss’s kind heart surely won’t bring her along. As for other servant girls Miss might have taken a liking to, would have already been picked. Therefore, I guess Miss will choose from the newly purchased girls."

Pausing for a moment, she added, "In the beginning, only the servant, along with Biwu, were personally selected by Miss. So the servant imagined Miss might bring us to fill the slots."

Certainly clever, Xiqiu then asked, "Then tell me, why did I only find you now? And why did I assign you to Nanny Cai?" Bihuai replied, "Miss must have thought my character was too strong and wished to stabilize it!" Having said this, she lifted her gaze resolutely and looked at Xiqiu, saying, "Miss, I know when the servant fell ill you asked Nanny Qian to take care of me. If it weren’t for you, I might have died, so... since that day, I’ve sworn: this life, this body belongs to Miss. No matter how Miss treats the servant, I have no complaints."

Xiqiu looked at her, nodding ever so slightly after quite some time, "I’ll remember your words!"

Bihuai is very clever, she is aware of her place and knows what she wants. She is exactly the kind of person Xiqiu needs.

Madam Xia, noticing Xiqiu was slightly distracted, pulled her hand and said, "It’s late, you should rest sooner!" Xiqiu laughed as she escorted Madam Xia to the courtyard, before returning to her room to freshen up...

Time flew rapidly, and by the end of October, Xiao Mansion sent over the betrothal gifts. Tong Minzhi, after checking in the front yard, hurriedly went to the backyard to call Tong Quanzi: "Third Brother, quickly come and see, Grand Commander Xiao has sent a real wild goose!"

Tong Quanzi’s eyes lit up as he heard this, both of them dashed to the front yard, where indeed on the long offering table, a grey wild goose was bound by red cords around its wings and feet, stretching its neck, calling out.

Tong Quanzi was astonished, "Far better looking than a goose." Tong Minzhi nodded repeatedly, "Grand Commander Xiao indeed made a grand gesture, much more generous than Fourth Brother-in-law."

Tong Xiyan overheard this, furiously chased them both around half the garden with a feather duster...

All of Xiqiu’s belongings were moved to the Marquis Mansion. Standing by the empty window, she gazed at the misty horizon, the north wind whipping through the bamboo forest producing a symphony of lamentation, like music striking the depths of one’s heart. She flipped through the book again and again, never truly reading a word: on impulse, she donned her clothes, got up, opened the window, viewing the dim bamboo forest, her palms sweating from the cold wind.

She recognized it as pre-wedding jitters, feeling confusion, fear, and helplessness towards the upcoming married life!

On the bed, Tong Xiyan turned over, noted Xiqiu was not beside her, hurriedly rubbed her eyes to look, "It’s cold outside, don’t catch a chill." Xiqiu chuckled and returned to the bed, and Tong Xiyan covered her knees, saying, "Why didn’t you put on more pants? If the illness recurs, what will we do."

It hardly hurts now, Xiqiu chuckled, "I know!" She then pulled Tong Xiyan, saying, "I can’t sleep, talk with me."

Tong Xiyan laughed, "Back then when I asked for your company, you ran off faster than anything else... Luckily, Second Aunt didn’t stay tonight to accompany you, otherwise you’d be up hearing her stories all night..." Saying this, her face also reddened.