Chapter 96: Before Marriage (Part 2)

  Ronghua helped Chunyao up, "Don't be in a hurry, speak slowly. Has your mother officially told you?"

  Spring shook her head, "I was just about to send tea in, and I heard Chen Mama and the Eldest Madam say that Master slept at the Fourth Concubine's place last night. This morning, he instructed the housekeeper to add this and that to the Fourth Concubine's room. Just now, the Eldest Madam sent someone to call him, but Master still said he wanted to rest at the Fourth Concubine's place. If it continues like this, it won't be good. It would be better to first dismiss the maids in the house and make them available for Master's use. This way, we can gather Master's heart a bit. If things go well, even if we raise the concubine later, she will still be of one mind with the madam."

  The old lady said: "But there is no suitable person." After thinking for half a day, she said again: "Chunyao is not young anymore."

  Miss, what does this mean? Can't I hear it yet? Maybe after a while of discussion, they'll come looking for me.

  Rong Hua thought carefully, Chun Yao was a great help to her mother and was also very beautiful, it wasn't impossible that she would be sent to Father as a concubine. But thinking about it the other way around, Chun Yao had been bought into the household since she was young, and Madame had kept her by her side for so many years, why would she give Chun Yao away as a concubine just because Father slept with Big Madam for one night?

  It's not like the first wife would think of such a method in her panic. The old man is that kind of person, whoever he favors, he will ignore everything else and might even cause trouble. The second wife is already quite old, looking worse than the first wife, even if the old master goes to her place for a few nights, nothing much would happen.

  Rong Hua glanced at Chun Yao, "What if mother really wants you to be a concubine, in the future when children are born, they will also be legitimate masters..."

  Chun Yao sneered, "What's the point of being a concubine? What good ending can you get in the future? In these years in the mansion, I've already seen through it. What's the difference between a concubine and a servant? Life and death are all controlled by the master. To put it bluntly, they're still slaves. Concubines are even more restricted by their masters every day, no better than servants. Otherwise... I won't hide from Eighth Miss, I was actually kidnapped by human traffickers and sold here. In my heart, I've always wanted to find my biological parents, hoping that the madam would show some compassion and let my parents redeem me, so I wouldn't be a slave bound by a death contract."

  Chun Yao seemed to have made up his mind to say these words, and Rong Hua saw the determined expression on Chun Yao's face, with a slight movement, "Chun Yao, if you can follow me to Xue Fu in the future, Mother will hand over your death contract to me together, I promise you that I will definitely help you find your parents."

  Chun Yao knelt down, "Your humble servant thanks Eighth Miss for her great kindness."

  Rong Hua smiled and said: "You don't have to thank me, if you want to thank someone, thank your own thoughts. If you don't belittle yourself, others will also look up to you."

  Chun Yao thanked him again.

  Ronghua said: "You go back first, mother shouldn't be so anxious to have you married off."

  Chun Yao raised his head.

  Rong Hua's eyes sparkled with excitement, "If I have the chance, I'll tell Mother to bring you over as a companion servant."

  Xun Yao nodded at this.

  Chunyao returned to Madame's house, and Yaqin came forward and said: "Sister Chunyao went where, the madam is looking for you everywhere."

  Chun Yao smiled and said: "I'll go ask Hong Yu for two shoe patterns." As he spoke, he waved the things in his hand.

  Ya Qian whispered: "I don't know what's going on with the mistress, earlier Chen Mama was talking to her for half a day in the warm pavilion..." As she spoke, her expression flickered, "Sister should be careful."

  Chun Yao nodded slightly and walked into the inner room.

  The old lady was drinking tea in the house, saw Chunyao come back, let the maid who was making medicine beside her retreat, Chunyao took over the medicine from the maid's hand and mixed it carefully, then supported the old lady to lie down.

  "What did she say?"

  Chun Yao gently applied the medicine to Madame's face. The homemade remedy for facial treatment had a terribly pungent smell, and it was unclear whether it would be effective or not.

  Chun Yao said: "The eighth young lady didn't say anything."

  The big wife nodded, "You follow what I said and do it, and in the future you will naturally not lack benefits." As she spoke, her cheek jumped heavily again.

  Chun Yao said: "The slave understands." She carefully applied a thin layer of medicine on top.

  ……

  Jinxiu made up the bed and sat on the brocade couch herself. She leaned against the back of the couch, resting her head on a pillow, reading by lamplight.

  Jinxiu said: "Miss, are you really planning to take Chunyao as a maid?"

  Ronghua put down the book and looked at Jinxiu, "This is not something I can decide." Chunyao suddenly said this, she couldn't help but think that it was impossible for her to be unaware of the situation. "Old Lady sent over Hongyu and Hongying, how could Big Madam not send someone over? I think it's likely to be Chunyao who will be sent. Chunyao is no longer young, and has no one to rely on, Big Madam understands her thoughts, and can control her better than others."

  And these few girls are what she can't push away no matter what. Whether Chunyao is or isn't here to test her, she has to say those words with a sincere heart.

  Firstly, Chunyao indeed helped her a bit, although Chunyao did this, possibly with some thoughts of her own. Secondly, she thought carefully, and Chunyao probably wanted to follow along, if she didn't immediately express her own intentions, Chunyao's heart might directly lean towards the mistress.

  Moreover, Chun Yao's words really moved her, and it was indeed not easy to say such things.

  Ronghua smiled and said, "We can only wait and see what happens in the future." By then, she would have gained control and things would be different.

  Rong Hua asked again, "How's it going with Second Miss?"

  Chun Yao shook his head, "The old lady went to see her once and said something but it wasn't clear."

  Rong Hua nodded, but Yao Hua was still worried until the very last moment.

  ……

  It was already the tenth month, and Old Lady Tao's birthday had arrived. All the relatives from the various branches of the Tao family came to pay their respects. The sixth, seventh, and eighth young ladies, whose weddings were approaching, hastily greeted the relatives before retreating back into the house to wait for the formal banquet to begin.

  Yan Hua, Xiu Hua and Rong Hua were doing needlework together. Xiu Hua's maid Le Qing told the few ladies about the lively scene outside.

  "The young ladies are chatting and composing poetry together, while the young masters are setting up targets and shooting arrows."

  Yan Hua's eyes lit up as soon as he heard it, "Why didn't we come up with so many names before? Why are we still shooting arrows? Where is the target set up? Is it over?"

  Le Qing said: "No, I don't know which young master mentioned it, so everyone laughed and wanted to amuse the old lady."

  Yan Hua was already fed up with the embroidery in her hand and excitedly instigated, "Why don't we go out and take a look?"

  Xiu Hua said: "It's not good, let's go out and let people see, we'll be scolded."

  Yan Hua smiled and said: "We'll sneak over there and take a peek."

  Xiang Qiao immediately said: "Miss, it's better not to go, what if that arrow misses its mark and scares you."

  Yan Hua gave Xiang Qiao a stern look, "The arrows used at home can't hurt anyone, if you don't understand then don't interrupt." She said while pulling up Xiu Hua's hand, "It's just going to watch our own brother shoot arrows, even if the elders find out what can they do?"

  Xiuhua was somewhat moved by what was said, and followed Yanhua down from the kang.

  Ronghua sat motionless on the kang, while Yanhua and Xiuhua finished putting on their shoes, looked at each other, and asked Ronghua, "Isn't Eighth Sister going?"

  Rong Hua lifted her head and smiled, "I don't like watching these things, it's better to stay in the house." The old lady was celebrating her birthday, and it was said that the Meng family had also arrived. The new son-in-law might be there too. Yan Hua had been restless on the kang since early morning, and now after hearing Le Xiang say this, she was probably using watching the archery competition as an excuse to catch a glimpse of her future husband.

  Yan Hua slightly pursed her lips, but had a smile all over her face, pulling Seventh Young Miss, "Sister doesn't like to join in the commotion, that's fine, we're just going to take a look, and won't be gone for long."

  Yan Hua was so enthusiastic that Xiu Hua couldn't bear to refuse, and was pulled by Yan Hua for a few steps before turning back to look at Rong Hua, "Someone will be coming soon, sister, can you help us cover up?"

  Watching Ronghua nod, Xiuhua followed Yanhua out of the house.

  Yan Hua and Xiu Hua took the maid out of the yard, Rong Hua asked Jin Xiu, "Have elder sister and brother-in-law arrived?"

  Jinxiu nodded, "It's coming, the young lady and her husband look different from usual. The husband followed the young lady in front of the old lady and said a lot of words. The young lady's complexion also looked much better."

  Ronghua asked again: "Has big sister gone to see Yaohua?"

  Jinxiu shook her head, "No, Eldest Miss has been accompanying Old Madam and Madame since she returned."

  It seems that Zhao Xuanhuan listened to Hong's words and may have already investigated something, and also revealed it to Shuhua. Otherwise, Shuhua, who had always treated her sister as a close person, would not have been possible to come back for such a long time without visiting her seriously ill sister.

  Ronghua's heart slightly delighted, Shuhua could see the true face of Yaohua, even if she didn't tell Madame Zhao, Yaohua wouldn't be able to achieve her goal of marrying into the Zhao family through Shuhua.

  However, the archery segment is quite strange. The Tao family is a scholarly family, and most of the disciples in the clan rely on reading books to make a name for themselves. No one has ever heard of anyone being good at riding and shooting before. Today's program is a bit too abrupt.

  Ronghua called Mu Jin, "The maids are all in the front having fun, you go too, and take a look at the young masters shooting arrows."

  Mugwort nodded and lifted the curtain to go out.

  Maybe there is a good archer among the sworn brothers.

  After all, Gu Ying and Yao Hua's marriage has not been settled yet, and some of the collateral branches have declined, they can only rely on their relatives to make a living. Now Tao Zheng'an is the head of the clan, with some power in his hands.

  Mu Ge ran out, and Hong Yu came in to help Rong Hua with the embroidery. "The old lady specifically instructed that this skirt was used when she was in the Tread Flower Hall, Miss must embroider it personally."

  Ronghua smiled and embroidered the edge according to Hongyu's pattern.

  The old lady and several ladies were talking happily.

  The originally lively backyard suddenly let out a shrill scream.

  The old lady and the ladies all quieted down and looked into the courtyard.

  The scene in the courtyard left both the master and the servants stunned, but it was the old lady who stood up to take a closer look, her face changing color as she shouted, "What are you all still standing there for? Go and invite the doctor over to take a look!"

  It wasn't until then that everyone realized what was happening.

  The west wing is in an uproar, Mu Ge rushes in hastily, not even catching her breath, "Miss, it's bad, the young master has been shot... by Fourth Miss of the Third Elder Madam."

  Rong Hua's face suddenly changed, "Who did you say? Which young master?"

  I'm so exhausted from updating recently, I won't update today and will make up for it tomorrow.