Chapter 13: Marriage (Part 1)

  Ronghua picked up the teacup on the table and continued to drink tea, but it was just some trinkets to be given to relatives' wives. The old lady actually attached great importance to it, and even personally oversaw the finished embroidery patterns. If she remembered correctly, in the past, they were prepared according to convention, and the patterns were only slightly adjusted.

  After all, the second and third rooms of the Tao family have always been generous with their annual filial piety, and the eldest lady has never been stingy as the head of the household. Is this year different from previous years? What variables are at play here?

  Ronghua couldn't help but think of his two uncles, Tao Zhengqian and Tao Zhengchuan. Both had become minor officials in the past two years through their father's connections, without achieving anything significant. The only change was that Third Uncle Tao Zhengchuan's first wife, Madame Chen, had passed away, and this year he had taken a new wife.

  Could it be because of Third Uncle's new wife...

  Rong Hua was deep in thought when Yan Hua entered and greeted Mrs. Chai.

  The old lady asked Yan Hua to sit down on her left hand, and slowly said: "I just told your sister that this year we should do more things for the ladies, your sister is good at needlework, let her make a few more dresses, you can also help with some embroidery."

  Madam said this, Rong Hua immediately felt two sharp gazes from Yan Hua falling on her.

  But in a twinkling, Renhua put on a familiar smile again, "I wonder who it's for?"

  The lady smiled and said, "Who else could it be? Just a female relative."

  It was originally given to relatives, Yan Hua's expression suddenly became more relaxed, "Since mother said so, I will definitely try my best to help eighth sister."

  Yan Hua would naturally have no interest in these things that were of no help to her.

  Ronghua smiled slightly and hurriedly said a few polite words, and Yanhua immediately became proud again.

  Several people were talking when a maid came in from outside and reported: "Miss Jinxiu has arrived."

  "Has someone from Jinxiu's family arrived?"

  Ying said: "Jinxiu's sister-in-law has come to pick her up. It's just that the young lady's illness suddenly got a bit better today."

  The lady couldn't help but be surprised, "Is Jinxiu better?"

  The maid said: "It's a bit better now, she is waiting outside the door to see the mistress."

  Rong Hua's eyebrows slightly raised, but she didn't make a sound.

  "Yesterday you said you hadn't eaten or drunk anything, and today you suddenly turn for the better? Is this some kind of strange occurrence?"

  The maid said: "Yes."

  "Madam hurriedly said: 'What are you still dawdling for? Quickly let Jinxiu come in.'"

  The maid retreated, and in the time it took to lift the curtain, Jinxiu walked in. Everyone saw that Jinxiu's face was still pale, but there was some spirit in her eyes now. She held a string of purple sandalwood Buddhist beads in her hand. As soon as she saw Madame, she immediately knelt down. "Jinxiu thanks Madame for saving her life. From now on, Jinxiu's life belongs to Madame. Jinxiu is willing to be a cow or a horse for Madame."

  The old lady was busy getting someone to help Jinxiu up, and when she looked at the Buddhist beads in her hand again, she hadn't spoken yet, but Chen Mama, who was on the side, reacted and smiled with joy, "I didn't expect that reciting Buddhist scriptures would actually work."

  There were still a few people in the house who didn't know about the Buddha beads, so Chen's mother took this opportunity to give a brief account.

  Everyone suddenly realized the cause and effect, and they were all shocked. Yan Hua smiled and said: "It's also Jinxiu's good fortune. Don't mention the women in the entire mansion, even if there is anyone in the whole clan who can surpass Mother's good fortune. It's also deserved by her, Mother is a kind and compassionate person, where can you find such a good master?"

  Dong Rui beside Madam Yu also chimed in, "Madam is a noble and wealthy person, she has some face to save in front of the Buddha."

  The house was filled with laughter and chatter, everyone surrounded the mistress to flatter her, and also took the opportunity to say some good words about Sixth Miss Yanhua, only Ronghua was left out in the cold.

  Ronghua seemed to feel nothing, still as usual, sitting quietly.

  The old lady smiled, "What a rich and noble person, it's just a coincidence, I originally thought it was just a try, didn't expect it to work, it seems that you, this little girl, also have a fate with me, since the illness has improved, stay in the mansion for now, wait until you're fully recovered, then return to my side."

  Jinxiu hastily knelt down again to thank her.

  The lady ordered Chen Mama, "Go give Jinxiu ten taels of silver and let her go back!"

  Jinxiu listened to what the lady said and wanted to thank her again.

  The old lady hastily intercepted, "You've just recovered from your illness, you can't overexert yourself, hurry up and go rest!"

  Jinxiu slowly backed away, walked to the door, and looked up at Ronghua.

  Rong Hua's face had a gentle smile on it, and between her eyebrows was a quiet river that flowed slowly, with an unspeakable sense of peace and calmness.

  Jinxiu grasped the Buddhist beads tightly in her hand and lifted the curtain to walk out.

  Ronghua came out from Mrs. Dai's place, and Yanhua also got up to leave, but was stopped by Mrs. Dai before she left.

  Mrs. Chen saw Honghua off warmly and stood at the door until Honghua, Chunyao, and Mugui walked out of the main courtyard before turning back into the house.

  Ronghua walked halfway and suddenly thought of something, "I want to draw a picture, are there enough things in the house to use?"

  Chun Yao thought for a moment, "It's okay, Miss, you go back with Mu Ge first, I'll take care of these things and bring them to you in a while." This was the first time Madam had assigned a task to Eighth Miss, so Eighth Miss would definitely attach great importance to it. Moreover, she wanted to take this opportunity to see that embroiderer and ask about the Peony Flower, and naturally, she would be more proactive in handling things.

  Chun Yao left, and Rong Hua and Mu Jin walked through another corridor, with no one else around. Mu Jin's tense nerves finally relaxed a bit. "Miss, you really scared me to death. So you were going to the main wife's quarters, why didn't you tell me in advance?"

  Ronghua smiled, "I just want you to not know." As long as Muxin didn't know anything, this master and servant pair could be considered to have passed the test. After what happened between her and QiQi back then, Madame was extremely averse to overly close relationships between masters and servants. Not to mention that Muxin had come to her side through Cui Zhishi's household, Madame would definitely harbor suspicions and ask questions about this matter.

  As long as Mu Ge and she didn't have a hint of mutual understanding, Mrs. could rest assured.

  Everyone in this house, from the masters and mistresses to the maids and servants, must be loyal only to the lady of the house and not secretly follow others.

  Mu Ge still felt a bit resentful, "Everyone says that among the concubine-born misses in the manor, the eldest mistress likes Sixth Miss the most. The other concubine-born misses have all been married off, and only Sixth Miss remains because the eldest mistress wants to find her an even better match. Didn't you see just now, the satisfied look in the eldest mistress's eyes when she looked at Sixth Miss?"

  "Let me tell you, miss, you can't just sit back and do nothing. At critical moments, you still need to please the madam a bit. After all, in this household, what the madam says goes."

  "The young lady didn't see how much Big Madam favored Sixth Miss, and wouldn't assign her any difficult or tiring tasks. It won't be easy for the young lady to surpass Sixth Miss either."

  Mu Ge turned his head sideways and happened to see Rong Hua smile slightly, with exceptionally bright eyes. "Among all the things you said, only half a sentence is correct."

  It turned out that Lian Muqi also thought that it was just a bitter and hard job.

  Mugun couldn't think of what he had said wrong, so he continued: "Following the usual practice, it was originally supposed to be done by the maids and seamstresses in the mansion, but this year they assigned this task to the young lady. Doing these things is not only tiring, but also doesn't bring any benefits, it's just something that will be given away when the time comes."

  Rong Hua smiled slightly, "That's not necessarily true, some things aren't what they seem, just like..."

  "What's going on..." Mugen asked hastily from the side.

  Ronghua smiled and stopped talking.

  Just like now, Mrs. Duan left Sixth Miss... just like she was already treading on the blade as soon as she entered the mansion, she walked on it, and if she wasn't careful, she would...

  Madam Wang sat in the main hall for a while, feeling somewhat tired, and then took Sixth Miss to the green silk room to chat. The other maids and servants all withdrew, leaving only Chen Mama and Xiang Qiao outside.

  Madam had just sat down when Yan Hua was about to sit down too, then she heard Madam's stern command, "Kneel down."

  Yan Hua's whole body shook suddenly. She raised her head to look at the madam, only to see the madam's furious face. Her legs softened and she knelt down on the ground in fright.

  The old lady's voice was not loud, but very severe. "I've always thought you were clever, otherwise your sisters would have all married out and left only you by my side. I didn't expect you to be foolish. All these years of doting on you have been in vain. You don't even have a conscience."

  Yan Hua had never seen the madam look like this before, her icy tone, knife-like gaze, and anger mixed with majesty, making people tremble without being cold.

  "Mother... did daughter do something wrong..."

  "I'm asking you, didn't you secretly bribe someone behind the back of the people in the Yi Cheng Hou Mansion today?"

  Yan Hua was shocked, how did the old lady know... She had been very careful, even the maid who delivered the silver money was someone she didn't dare to get close to in public. She had already planned ahead, even if the old lady heard some rumors and investigated, it wouldn't lead back to her, let alone that she had just performed a play in front of Chen Mama.

  When Chen Mama left, the expression on her face was one of having already believed.

  Perhaps the lady was just suspicious of her, now saying these things, but wanting to trick her. Ronghua bit her lip, "Mother, how dare I do such a thing? If there really is such a thing, why don't you ask others? There are many people in the mansion anyway..."

  The lady sneered, "I see you won't shed tears until you see the coffin. Do you know what Madam Hou said to me today? She has taken a liking to our family's Sixth Miss, saying she is beautiful and knows how to conduct herself properly. It seems someone must have spoken well of you in front of her."

  Yan Hua's face was uncertain, it seemed that the silver she used had taken effect, Madame Hou indeed had a liking for her, but would Madam Zhao intervene at this critical moment?

  "Are you thinking that Madame Hou has taken a liking to you, but I might stand in your way and block your good fortune?"

  Yan Hua was startled in her heart and hurriedly bowed down again, "Daughter dare not, daughter knows that mother has always been kind to Yan Hua..."

  The madam raised an eyebrow, "You know this too? I think you say one thing with your mouth, but think another in your heart." After finishing, she smiled slightly, "Tomorrow I will return to the Hou's residence and get Madame Hou's agreement on this marriage arrangement."

  Maybe I caught a cold, had diarrhea and couldn't stop, after taking lots of medicine I finally recovered.

  Luckily, I have my wife's sister to help me take care of our daughter.

  Sorry for the late update.

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