CHAPTER 97: CHAPTER 97: AMIDST THE CHAOS (2)

"It’s not your fault." Tong Xiyan waved his hand and said, "You go busy yourself, I’ll chat with Sixth Miss." Xinzhu looked nervously at Xiqiu, who nodded slightly at her. Xinzhu felt somewhat reassured and then retreated.

Tong Xiyan thought about Madam Wang and Tong Xiyang, "Wasn’t she supposed to come and take the skirt I stained? How come they both disappeared?" It was only now that she realized Madam Wang’s behavior today was very unusual.

Xiqiu was also puzzled. Normally, no matter how arrogant Madam Wang was, she would not ignore Lady, but today she seemed to have lost her sense of proportion. Could it be due to First Master’s lukewarm attitude these days? It was even rumored that First Master had thrown a fit in her courtyard and stormed off angrily, avoiding both Madam Wang’s place and the East Cross Courtyard for several days.

If Madam Wang is acting like this, is it because her last support is gone, so she’s making a desperate move?

But what exactly is she trying to achieve by doing this?

Tong Xiyang’s marriage is not yet settled, and by doing this, Madam Wang is completely offending Lady. The marriage with Count Wujin is already impossible, shouldn’t Madam Wang try to get along with Lady to find a good family for her daughter?

Or is it that Madam Wang is already fearless?

She suddenly thought of the concubine, hearing that Lord Xu was recommended by his superiors to be the Shandong Governor, and the person who recommended him had the surname Hong.

Xiqiu asked Tong Xiyan, "You and Mother went to Shandong, did you meet Lord Xu’s superior? It seems his surname is... Hong!" Tong Xiyan didn’t know why Xiqiu was asking, shook her head and said, "I’ve never met Lord Hong, but Madam Hong seems somewhat familiar. I was young back then, only remembering she was much older than Mother and was not in good health..."

Xiqiu frowned. Madam Yang and Xu Tianqing were not familiar, and they weren’t family friends with the Xu Family, so why did Madam Yang suddenly visit? There must be a purpose and reason for her action, just like Lady’s attitude towards Madam Yang. Lord Yang holds a post at the Imperial College, unrelated to the Tong Mansion, yet her unexpected visit did not seem strange, rather there was intimacy in the air.

This did not seem to align with Lady’s character.

Thinking like this, it seemed as if something flashed through Xiqiu’s mind...

Instinctively, she felt that Madam Wang’s target wasn’t her but Tong Xiyan this time. Madam Wang was clearly challenging Lady, retaliating against her!

Yet after they returned, she and Tong Xiyang only sent over Tong Xiyang’s skirt, without even appearing themselves.

Filled with unease and doubt, Xiqiu looked at Tong Xiyan again, only to find her absent-minded, seemingly lost in thought. She got up to pour herself a cup of tea, but suddenly saw Tong Xiyan sitting up and asking her, "What hour is it now?"

Xiqiu glanced at the clock in the main hall and said, "It’s not yet the Si hour."

Tong Xiyan stood up: "It’s too late!" She hastily rummaged through a chest, pulled out a skirt and put it on, then called out to Xinzhu, "Help me redo my Willow Braid." Xinzhu opened the door and came in.

Xiqiu just sat silently on the chair, watching Tong Xiyan and her maid fussing quietly in front of the dressing table. "The bun is too low, make it higher." Tong Xiyan picked and chose, then opened another jewelry box. "Which hairpin should I wear?!"

Xinzhu pulled out a gilt hairpin inlaid with pearls and placed it on Tong Xiyan’s head, "Miss, this one looks festive. Why not wear this?"

Tong Xiyan shook her head dissatisfied: "It’s not the New Year, no need to be festive, something simple will do!" She then pulled out a hairpin decorated with kingfisher feathers and green gemstones, along with two red and white interlaced coral bead flowers. "Place the bead flowers on the left side, so it won’t be too conspicuous!"

After a flurry of activity, Tong Xiyan finally stood up satisfied. Feeling something was missing, she applied some lip color, then turned around smiling to look at the pile of clothes on the bed. "Sixth Sister, should I wear crimson or pomegranate red?"

She compared all the clothes to herself, showing indecision!

Sipping her tea, Xiqiu asked with a curious look, "What are you planning?"

Tong Xiyan was startled, her eyes flickered as she smiled and said, "Nothing really, it’s just the pain is gone, so I want to go back and listen to some theater."

But why go to such lengths to dress up just to watch a play, change clothes, and even accessories, adding makeup with such solemnity...

But since Tong Xiyan isn’t saying, she can’t exactly force her to answer, so she pointed to an overcoat and said, "Lotus color would be good, makes your complexion look rosier." Tong Xiyan then grabbed a lotus-colored overcoat in one hand and a moon-white skirt embroidered with threads in the other, ready to rush into the inner room to try them on, looking impatient!

Xiqiu sighed, stood up, and said, "Change your clothes first. When you’re ready, come to the theater to find me. I need to report to Mother to avoid worrying her." Saying this, she was already about to exit the door.

"Sixth Sister!" Tong Xiyan suddenly turned around to stop Xiqiu, "Don’t be angry!"

Xiqiu laughed, "Why would I be angry? Today’s opera event is something Father and Mother specially arranged for us. If neither of us sisters show up, wouldn’t it be wasting their kind intentions!"

Tong Xiyan looked at her with clear eyes, without a hint of displeasure, finally letting out a breath, but still holding on to her sleeve, saying, "Actually... I..." Her sentence halted, then she instructed Xinzhu, "Go wait at the door." Xinzhu looked uneasily at Xiqiu and silently retreated.

"Sixth Sister." Tong Xiyan pulled Xiqiu’s hand, sat down, her face surfacing with two suspicious blushes, "I didn’t mean to lie to you..." She looked at Xiqiu, observing her expression, only to see that Xiqiu’s face still bore a gentle smile, showing no signs of surprise. She felt as if her secret had been seen through, deflating as she said, "I just want to sneak out to the outer courtyard. I’ll come back right after talking to him!" As if explaining, afraid Xiqiu wouldn’t believe her, she tightly clutched Xiqiu’s hand.

Even with mental preparation, Xiqiu was still greatly surprised. She frowned and said, "The whole mansion is filled with people coming and going, how can you now go to the outer courtyard? Young Master Jiang often visits the mansion, if you want to meet him can’t you arrange another time?" She held onto Tong Xiyan’s hand, "Do you know what the consequences would be if someone caught you doing this?!"

Tong Xiyan nodded, then shook her head resolutely, "Sixth Sister, he just sent someone to tell me he’s going to Fujian and might not be able to return for another year or so. He wanted to see me before leaving." Tong Xiyan started crying, "I also want to see him, Fujian and Guangdong are in such chaos now, Marquis Xuanning hasn’t sent back any war reports for half a month, rumors in the court say Marquis is heavily injured, how can I be at ease with him going there!"

Xiqiu sighed. Love, they say, besides bringing women happiness and sweetness, also leaves them with zero intelligence.

No amount of advice would help now, so she could only say, "How will you meet? How will you speak with him? The outer courtyard has so many people, what will you do if you run into others?!"