CHAPTER 136: CHAPTER 136: THE MARRIAGE ARRANGEMENT

Tang Xiaobai feels a bit like a jerk.

Initially, she was incredibly nice to someone, but now that person’s pleading in all kinds of ways, and she’s resolutely refusing.

The next day, after sending off her brother and Ah Xiao, Tang Xiaobai felt inexplicably down.

Even after sitting down in the classroom, she couldn’t muster any energy.

"Xiao Tang—" Her seatmate, Wei Sui, leaned over again.

Tang Xiaobai propped her face up and looked at him weakly.

"Pei Jiu asked me to tell you that he’s going to Hedong for a while—"

"Senior Brother Pei is also going to Hedong?" Tang Xiaobai suddenly perked up.

Pei Xuan said yesterday he wanted to tutor her, which meant he hadn’t decided to go to Hedong then.

Why so suddenly?

"The Pei Family’s ancestral home is in Hedong. It seems someone recommended Pei Jiu, saying that the aristocratic families in Hedong are hard to deal with, and the Pei Family should send someone to communicate," Wei Sui explained.

Who recommended Pei Xuan?

Tang Xiaobai immediately thought of Ah Xiao.

Have to admit, she felt quite complex inside.

If he couldn’t take her away, he would take Pei Xuan away.

If it was indeed his doing, it was rather ruthless...

"Pei Jiu also said, in his absence, you should take care of yourself—" Wei Sui gossiped with a face full of interest, "Why would he inform you about his trip to Hedong? Why tell you to ’take care of yourself’? How to ’take care of yourself’?"

Tang Xiaobai was also bewildered and guessed, "Maybe he wants me to study hard and improve every day?"

Wei Sui clicked his tongue, "Since when did you get so close to Pei Jiu? Wasn’t he always annoyed by you people from Duke Yan Mansion?"

"???" Tang Xiaobai raised an eyebrow, "Pei dislikes us from Duke Yan Mansion?"

Wei Sui was taken aback, then laughed, "Class is starting, class is starting!"

Tang Xiaobai stared at him.

He sighed and leaned over to whisper, "It’s not a big deal, just... You know your older brother once burned the tutor’s beard, right?"

Tang Xiaobai nodded.

"And your eldest sister..." Mentioning the eldest sister, Wei Sui chuckled, his voice tinged with amusement, "Knocked over the tutor—"

"Didn’t knock over!" Tang Xiaobai explained, "It was Mr. Sun pursuing my sister, and he slipped by himself!"

Wei Sui chuckled a couple of times more, saying, "No problem, no problem, having the honor of being knocked over by the eldest sister is such a blessing— Ow!" Clutching his shoulder in pain, he looked shocked, "Couldn’t you just hit me with a book? Using an inkstone is too much!"

Tang Xiaobai snorted, "I’m afraid of dirtying my book!"

Wei Sui muttered a few words and snorted back, "You people from the Tang family are all like this, quick to resort to violence, no wonder Pei Jiu looks down on you... "

Tang Xiaobai chuckled.

Looks down on her but still took the initiative to offer her tutoring?

Hmph! She doesn’t even care!

...

Returning to the mansion after school, Tang Xiaobai immediately asked, "Where’s the eldest sister?"

She had been thinking all the way, just refusing tutoring wasn’t enough to vent her anger. She had to find her sister to complain; her elder sister was better at this kind of thing.

A servant replied, "Mrs. Lu came over, the eldest should be accompanying her in the inner hall."

Mrs. Lu is Eldest Aunt Gu, surnamed Lu, titled Lady Jiangning, and often called Mrs. Lu.

Since there were guests at home, Tang Xiaobai had to put her grudge with Pei Xuan aside for now and headed to the inner hall to greet Eldest Aunt Gu.

Entering the hall, however, she noticed Tang Jiaojiao wasn’t inside but standing outside the window of the inner hall, slightly leaning against the wall with her ear close to the window, looking a bit tense—

Wasn’t she eavesdropping?

Tang Xiaobai gestured for her accompanying maid to stay behind at the courtyard gate, then quietly sneaked around to Tang Jiaojiao’s side and gently tapped her.

"Ah!" Tang Jiaojiao was startled, and despite quickly covering her mouth, still made a bit of noise.

The conversation inside the room abruptly stopped.

After a moment’s silence, Gu’s gentle voice sounded, "Jiaojiao, you’re back?" Her tone seemed amused.

Tang Jiaojiao blushed, glared at Tang Xiaobai, hurriedly crouched and made her way to the doorway, then straightened up, tidied her clothes, and lightly coughed, "Yes, the kitchen made some red pastries. Would mother and aunt like to try some?"

Eldest Aunt Gu also laughed, "Thank you, Jiaojiao," she inquired again, "Xiaobai should be back soon, right?"

"Yes, I’m back too!" The voice sounded right from behind, giving Tang Jiaojiao another scare.

...

The Gu Mansion is not far from Duke Yan Mansion, Eldest Aunt Gu frequently visits but seldom stays for meals.

This time was no different; she left after having some snacks.

After seeing Eldest Aunt Gu off, Tang Xiaobai pressed her sister, "What did Aunt come to discuss with mother? What did you hear?"

The eldest sister valued her reputation and wouldn’t easily listen in if it wasn’t related to her somehow.

"What hear what? I was just passing by, didn’t hear a thing!" Of course, the eldest sister wouldn’t easily admit to eavesdropping since it would be a blow to her pride.

Tang Xiaobai pouted, "If you don’t tell me, I’ll tell mother you were eavesdropping!"

"Why are you always tattling!" Tang Jiaojiao exclaimed in embarrassment and anger.

"Doesn’t matter if it’s an old trick as long as it works."

Tang Jiaojiao glared at her for a while then said, "Aunt came to discuss Ah Weng’s marriage."

The third Miss of the Second Branch of the Gu family is named Gu Wan, she’s Gu Yuan’s twin sister.

The siblings lost their mother during childhood, and not long after, their father was married to Princess Puan.

Although their background is pitiful, it’s not overly tragic. Families like the Gu family wouldn’t allow their children to be bullied, not even by a princess.

After Second Uncle Gu married the princess, Gu Yuan and Gu Wan remained at the Gu Mansion.

Gu Yuan, being the brother, entered clan school as he grew older. Due to his excellence and being Princess Puan’s son in name, he was later selected into the Imperial College and often summoned to the Imperial Court, gaining some fame among the aristocratic children in the Capital City.

Gu Wan, meanwhile, was mainly educated by Eldest Aunt Gu.

Now both siblings are seventeen, so talks of marriage should indeed start, and it’s understandable for Eldest Aunt Gu to worry over this.

However—

"Cousin Wanwan’s marriage, Aunt comes to discuss with our mother?" Tang Xiaobai was a bit surprised.

Tang Jiaojiao looked at her with an expression saying "how do you not get this," and said gloomily, "Aunt wants to marry Ah Weng into our family!"

Tang Xiaobai was stunned for a moment and quickly asked, "Did Mother agree?"

Tang Jiaojiao gave her a sideways glance, "How would I know?"

Tang Xiaobai felt a bit anxious.

Tang Ziqian and Gu Wan are cousins! Such close blood ties!

Oh, these ancient people love intermarriages in the family!

"What? You don’t want Ah Weng as our sister-in-law?" Tang Jiaojiao assessed her expression and asked.

Tang Xiaobai asked in return, "And you?"

Tang Jiaojiao pouted, a bit unwilling, "There’s nothing bad about it..."

Gu Wan is admirable, intelligent, beautiful, and gracious.

But they are cousins!

Tang Xiaobai sighed, "Then what about brother—"

"Stop right there!" Tang Jiaojiao suddenly shouted, eyebrows raised menacingly, eyes full of wrath.

Tang Xiaobai turned to look and saw that person didn’t stop but took a few steps back, then changed direction and walked toward them, stopping seven or eight steps away, smiling as he asked, "What orders does the eldest miss have today?"

-----------------

Didn’t get to update yesterday, so I’m shouting today: Ma Long forever!