CHAPTER 90: CHAPTER 90: FATHER (6)

Xiqiu could only nod, not expecting that she regarded Jiang Shilin so highly, even showing signs of inferiority. No matter how famous Jiang Shilin might be, pairing him with Tong Xiyan, the legitimate daughter of the Tong Mansion, was more than suitable!

"Fourth Sister... Perhaps Young Master Jiang, as you say, is a gentleman of integrity and grace, but just the accusation of private relations with you is enough to negate everything about him. Also, if you develop feelings, have you considered what Lady would think? How could she possibly agree to you marrying him?!"

Tong Xiyan wilted, laid back on the pillow again, and holding Xiqiu, she said, "Your marriage hasn’t been settled yet, and I fear mine will also encounter many obstacles!" She sighed deeply.

Xiqiu also leaned to the side, stopped talking, and the two of them leaned against the head of the bed, each silently contemplating their own concerns.

Outside, Xinzhu lifted the curtain and tentatively asked, "Miss, it’s getting late, shall we go back?"

Tong Xiyan petulantly turned over, facing away from the door, and waved her hand, "Go back and fetch my clothes, I’m staying here tonight." Xinzhu was stunned and looked at Xiqiu, implying that she should persuade Tong Xiyan.

Xiqiu shook her head and smiled, "Don’t be troubled, go back and tell Nanny Duan, let her sleep here tonight."

Xinzhu, having no other option, dropped the curtain and left in exasperation.

That night, Xiqiu tossed and turned, finally falling into a blurry sleep, only to have a strange dream where she was holding a newborn baby, fair and lovely. Across from her, a man was talking, but no matter how she tried, she couldn’t see his face clearly.

The baby became restless in her arms, crying loudly, and she woke up with a start, only to find someone was indeed crying. Turning her head, she saw Tong Xiyan curled up under the quilt, sobbing painfully.

"Fourth Sister!" Xiqiu lifted the quilt to see Tong Xiyan, "What’s the matter?"

Tong Xiyan pulled her head out from under the quilt, her eyes were already swollen. She hugged Xiqiu and cried even harder, "Sixth Sister, if Mother doesn’t agree to let me marry him, what should I do?"

That was a difficult question for Xiqiu to answer.

"The marriage has not been discussed yet, we can only take it one step at a time for now."

Tong Xiyan’s tears flowed even more fiercely, but Xiqiu had no better words to comfort her. Privately, Xiqiu believed that if they wanted this to succeed, without Lady’s approval, it would be difficult. If they wanted Lady’s consent, unless Jiang Shilin returned to office and earned merits, it might be easier to gain her approval!

But Jiang Shilin had resigned because he was dissatisfied with the court, how could he return to the officialdom!

Xiqiu just felt a headache coming on...

The next morning, a letter from Shandong concubine arrived, and Lady read it with a smile all over her face. Once First Master returned home, the two of them shut the door and discussed it for half a day: "Master, you’re the head of the family, you know Lord Hong, what do you think of this marriage?"

First Master frowned and asked, "In terms of social standing, matching a legitimate son of the Hong Mansion with a concubine daughter of the Tong Mansion is us reaching upward. However, the Young Master Hong is disabled..." Clearly, he didn’t favor the marriage much.

Lady put aside the letter and refilled his tea with a smile, saying, "I thought the same at first, but the family’s status doesn’t matter. What matters is that the Third Girl can have a harmonious marriage. So, I asked the concubine to find out about Young Master Hong’s character, and you saw the results. Young Master Hong is seventeen this year, and the mansion doesn’t even have a single concubine. Though he’s a bit mischievous, his leg disability has settled him down. I’ve heard he’s been diligently studying at home, even helping Lord Hong with public affairs. Although he can’t become an official, studying more is certainly a good thing!"

First Master relaxed his brow slightly, contemplatively saying, "There’s no rush to decide this. I’ll have someone look into the Hong Mansion further."

Lady frowned, forcibly swallowing the words she was about to say. She knew not to rush things; unless First Master was not at home, everything had to be thorough, even if things ended up chaotic later. They couldn’t let others say a word against them!

He suddenly remembered what Xiqiu had said last night and was moved to stand up, "I’ll go to the East Cross Courtyard to have a look, you rest first!"

Lady sent him out with a calm expression.

Nanny Fang then came in.

"Did you inquire about the opera troupe?" Lady asked Nanny Fang. Nanny Fang replied, "There are eighteen troupes performing in the Capital now, but most are not presentable. I inquired about those frequently seen performing in various mansions, aside from the ’Changsheng Troupe’ and ’Liu Rong Society’, there were no others." She paused and continued to explain the specialties of the two troupes, noting that the Changsheng Troupe performed Qiong Opera, and the Liu Rong Society specialized in Yue Opera.

Qiong Opera’s singing is resounding, Yue Opera is intricate and melodic, both have their unique characteristics!

Lady pondered briefly and said, "Let’s go with Liu Rong Society! I’m still not quite used to Qiong Opera."

Nanny Fang nodded and smiled, "I agree, Qiong Opera’s lyrics are vague, and its make-up isn’t as aesthetically pleasing as Yue Opera."

Lady laughed as well and suddenly remembered something, instructing, "When you book the opera troupe tomorrow, let Nanny Qian oversee the stage construction, use the former courtyard of the First Young Master. Let her discuss the arrangements with Manager Lai, and when you’re done, visit the Xuanning Marquis Mansion to have the Eldest Miss and her husband return for a visit." She sighed, "That child, knowing her father is back, yet doesn’t come home to visit!"

"There are many matters at the Marquis Mansion, Eldest Miss, like you, cannot sit idle, and is delayed by affairs!" She then asked Lady, "Whom does Madam intend to invite?"

"We’ll make a list later," she recalled Count Wujin, "You should visit Count Wujin yourself, we must maintain courtesy, whether they come or not is not for us to insist."

"Understood!" Nanny Fang thought of how after Lady refused Madam Chen, the latter never contacted again. A few days ago, when First Master brought back local specialties and she delivered them personally, the attitude at Ren Mansion was not cordial. She wondered if her visit to the Wujin Bo Mansion this time would go smoothly, given there was no relatives between the two mansions, and the marriage negotiation fell through, moving between them required a reason!

That evening, Lady and Nanny Fang completed the guest list for the banquet. Busy until 9 p.m., First Master finally returned from the East Cross Courtyard. As he entered, he greeted Lady with a stern face and said, "Tell the concubine, we’ve agreed to the Hong Mansion’s marriage!"

Lady was shocked, "What happened?" She personally assisted First Master to remove his outer robe, brewed tea, and served it to him.

First Master kept a stern face, full of displeasure: "You’ve kindly been selecting suitors for her daughter, and there she is, taking it for granted because she’s ill, without considering that in all these years following me in office, Third Girl has spent less time under her care than under yours!" He was visibly angry, "In her foolish dreams, she wants me to propose to the Wujin Bo Mansion. All she thinks of is her own affairs, without realizing that if I proposed, if Count Wujin agreed, it would only make me look like someone currying favor with the powerful. But if he refused, how would I face my colleagues, how would I speak in the court?!"