Chapter 97: Before Marriage (Part 2)

  In a fluster, Mu Jin couldn't get his words out and could only pant, "It's Big Brother..."

  。”

  Rong Hua furrowed her brow, "Big Uncle?" Putting down what she was holding, "What's going on exactly?"

  Mu Yu Dao said: "I was just watching from the side, at first no one noticed, later it was Fourth Miss who shouted, and we only reacted then."

  It was when Eldest Brother-in-law was shooting an arrow that Second Brother-in-law accidentally bumped into him, causing the arrow to lose its mark and hit Fourth Miss Huihua of Third Old Madam's branch.

  How could Tao Jingyao accidentally bump into his sister-in-law?

  "Fourth Miss, how are you? Are your injuries severe?"

  Mu Ge shook his head, "Please ask Dr. Lang to take a look, it's still unclear how things are."

  Under the watchful eyes of everyone, such a thing happened. If it's serious, it can't be let go like this, let alone these years, three old ladies and their branch have been at odds with each other, secretly competing in private. She remembered correctly that Fourth Miss Huihua was the legitimate daughter of the third house.

  Rong Hua was thinking, Yan Hua and Xiu Hua also came back from outside, both of them looked dejected, probably scolded. Xiu Hua saw Rong Hua and immediately said: "We were seen by the old lady outside."

  Yan Hua glanced at Rong Hua, and his originally gloomy expression cleared up. He raised his chin as if he didn't care at all, and pulled Xiu Hua along, saying: "What's the big deal? We just exchanged a couple of words. It's not like we shot an arrow or anything. If I hadn't helped Yao Hua out, who knows, maybe another one would have gotten hurt."

  But didn't want to lose face in front of her, Yanhua's psychology she wasn't unfamiliar with, no need to calculate with her, Ronghua grasped the content of Yanhua's words and asked in surprise, "Did Second Sister also go?"

  Yan Hua didn't seem to catch any other meaning, just smiled and curled up the corner of her mouth, "Yes, she's a patient who can go, how can we not go?"

  Strange, Yao Hua was still bedridden a few days ago, how can she get out of bed today?

  Yan Hua got into bed, Rong Hua turned her face to look over, Yan Hua couldn't even sew a single stitch for half the day.

  Yan Hua felt a sense of unease in her heart, seeing that she was about to get married and had not even seen her future husband once. Fortunately, today was the old lady's birthday, and it was said that Meng Chunzi, as the future brother-in-law, would come with the Tao family to pay their respects. She thought she could catch a glimpse of Meng Chunzi from afar. The plan was good, but unexpectedly, something went wrong. She and Xiu Hua carefully walked into the courtyard, choosing a secluded path to quietly approach, thinking they wouldn't be seen. Who knew that they would run into Yao Hua on this path? Seeing Yao Hua, she was taken aback, and before she could say anything, she saw Tao Jingzhu accidentally bumping into her brother-in-law, and the arrow was heading in their direction.

  Fortunately, her brother-in-law made a great effort to save her, and the arrow was shot at Fourth Miss Huihua instead.

  Yao Hua was shocked and lost her color, her feet slipped and she almost fell down, but she stretched out her hand to pull Yao Hua back.

  But Huihua was injured and shouted like this. Everyone looked carefully at the courtyard, seeing Huihua at the same time, also discovered Yao Hua, she and Xiu Hua.

  She didn't care about others, she was only afraid that Meng Chun would see her and think what of her. She sneaked around to take a peek, but it always ended badly. Yan Hua clenched her fists at the thought.

  Yan Hua was deep in thought when Chen's mother led someone into the house.

  Upon seeing Chen's mother, Xiuhua's face immediately changed, Yanhua felt guilty but forced a smile, only Ronghua looked over with a calm and collected demeanor. Chen's mother couldn't help but feel approving in her heart, indeed the eighth young lady was steady and knew etiquette, no wonder she had been favored by the Hou household.

  "Mother Chen smiled and said: 'The banquet is ready ahead, please invite the young ladies to go over.'"

  The banquet is being held so soon, Fourth Miss's injuries shouldn't be severe.

  The maidservants attended Miss and went back to the house to change her clothes, then came out to have dinner in the front.

  The old lady and all the ladies were there, but Yao Hua and Hui Hua were nowhere to be seen.

  Mrs. Meng and Shu Hua were talking, Mrs. Meng was in high spirits, while Shu Hua looked around absent-mindedly.

  Mrs. Tao sat next to the fourth young lady's mother, Mrs. Tao Zhou. Before the meal was served, everyone just chatted and Mrs. Tao was very attentive, while Mrs. Tao Zhou responded perfunctorily.

  Ronghua and a few people entered the house, but before they could exchange a few words with their sisters, Mrs. Tao beckoned to Ronghua with a smile. Ronghua went forward to pay her respects to Mrs. Tao and the elder lady, then sat down beside them.

  Ronghua felt Tao Zhou's gaze constantly turning on her, as if sizing her up. After a long time, Tao Zhou said: "Miss Eighth is a lucky one."

  The tightly closed face of the lady suddenly had a few points of smile.

  Ronghua heard Tao Zhou ask in a low voice, "But I don't know when it will be decided?"

  Ronghua picked up her tea bowl and took a sip of tea, faintly hearing the elder madam say: "Qintianjian... next June."

  "Congratulations, Madam," Tao Zhou said with a smile.

  A meal with some implications.

  The old lady had finished her meal and was in a hurry to see the injury of Fourth Miss Huihua. Second Lady led Tao Jingyu behind the old lady, wanting to go and apologize to Fourth Miss.

  Hui Hua leaned on the soft couch, with a cold towel wrapped around her feet, her eyes red and swollen from crying. She scolded those maids, "Can't you do anything right? Why haven't you brought the ice yet? You're all so clumsy, it's infuriating!"

  Although Huihua's words were directed at her own family's servants, the true meaning was clear to everyone and was actually aimed at the eldest house.

  The old lady entered the house and saw this scene, her face was calm and expressionless. She comforted Huihua on one side while instructing the servants, "Quickly go and see what's going on."

  The subordinate's face has an expression of difficulty.

  The ice I brought just now was clearly enough, but Miss Fourth kicked it over and wouldn't let me use the picked-up ice. That's why there's this situation. There is indeed ice stored in the ice cellar, but it needs to be split into blocks before being taken out. Where can you find such speed? This Miss Fourth is obviously making things difficult for people.

  When were they ever treated like this by their own people?

  The old ladies didn't say anything, they could only swallow their anger and hurry downstairs to busy themselves.

  The old lady walked up and sat down on the velvet sofa, pulling Huihua's hand, "Poor child, you've been wronged. It's all grandma's fault. If I had known earlier, I wouldn't have let them play with these things."

  Hui Hua heard this and couldn't bear to refute her elder's words, "Grandmother is going to scold her granddaughter." But she didn't say anything else, only lowering her eyelids to look at her injured foot.

  The old lady said: "If you want to talk about the culprit, it's still your brother. He is now standing outside and coming to apologize to you."

  Hui Hua looked at the old lady in surprise.

  The maid came up and covered Huihua's body with a quilt, and then the second lady led Tao Jingyuan up.

  Tao Jingtao walked into the house, didn't say a word, and deeply bowed to Huihua, "Fourth sister, it's all my fault, I'll accept any punishment you give me."

  The second lady also said on the side: "Niece, take a look and see how to punish him to relieve your anger. Just speak out, I will definitely not let him off lightly." As she spoke, she glared fiercely at Tao Jinghuan.

  Tao Jingyuan stood there with his head bowed, and didn't even dare to breathe loudly.

  Huī Huá's eyes welled up with tears, not knowing what to say. Táo Zhōu Shì also came in to see her daughter and couldn't help but feel sad seeing her daughter's red and swollen eyes. However, with Táo Jǐng Yuè standing beside her, she didn't dare not speak up, so she just said: "Children are always a bit mischievous, let alone Brother Yuè who didn't do it on purpose."

  Hui Hua looked at her mother with a hint of discontent in her eyes upon hearing this.

  Tao Zhou said, "The doctor just said that Huihua is fine and will be okay after a few days of rest. Our own children don't have so many problems, but it's making the old lady uncomfortable."

  Hui Hua's eyes turned red when she heard her mother speaking in such a humble and conciliatory manner.

  Tao Zhou's wife went into the side room and said a few words to the old lady before taking her leave.

  The old lady Tao hastened to have a carriage prepared and then had several servants use shoulder poles to carry Huihua and put her in the carriage.

  The horse carriage slowly moved forward, leaving the Tao Mansion. Only then did Huihua grab onto her mother's hand and say, "Mother, how can you just let it go like that? Does my injury count for nothing?"

  Tao Zhou sighed, "What can I do? Your injury wasn't serious to begin with, and the old lady has been advising us like this. The eighth miss of the Ma family is about to marry into the Hou household soon, after all, they are relatives from the same clan, we can't afford to lose face. However, the old lady has spoken, she has a manor in South City, and in two days' time, she will send over the deed to the manor as compensation for you, it will be used as your dowry when you get married."

  Hui Hua exclaimed in surprise, "Ah!", she never thought that the eldest branch would resolve this matter with such a generous gesture.

  Tao Zhou looked at Huihua and smiled, "It's still because they're afraid we'll cling to the Yi Cheng Hou Mansion. The old lady brought out Er Fang's sister-in-law, not mentioning her family's eldest brother-in-law at all, assuming we wouldn't bring it up ourselves." She paused before continuing, "Although the Yi Cheng Hou Mansion is a good place, marrying into it would mean becoming a concubine. I've thought about it and don't think it's a good place to go. It's better this way."

  Hui Hua's face turned red when she heard her mother say this.

  ……

  Shu Hua came down from the banquet and asked her maid Miao Teng, "Where is it?"

  Miao Tong said: "In the courtyard of Da Nai."

  Shu Hua hastily walked towards her own courtyard and entered the house. At a glance, she saw Zhao Xuanhuan sitting on a chair drinking tea.

  Shu Hua sent Miao Tong away and walked forward to ask Zhao Xuanhuan, "What's going on? How did you end up hurting Fourth Miss?"

  Zhao Xuan put down his teacup and looked at Shu Hua, "Brother Rong accidentally bumped into me just now."

  Shu Hua couldn't help but ask in disbelief, "Is it really like this?"

  Zhao Xuanhuan sneered, "You shouldn't be asking me this. If I hadn't seen your second sister over there earlier and deliberately changed direction, the one lying in bed now would be your second sister. This matter wouldn't have been so easily settled today."

  Rong Hua furrowed her brow and looked at Zhao Xuanhuan with a complex gaze, "You're saying that Yao Hua deliberately let Ruo Ge help?"

  Zhao Xuan's face was warm and gentle as he smiled slightly, "Since you're back today to celebrate your grandmother's birthday, why don't you go ask your second sister yourself?"

  Sorry about that, it's late today because I'm moving cities and spent the whole day looking at houses, I'm exhausted but didn't find a suitable one.

  There isn't much silver haha.

  One is the sixth floor with a loft on the seventh floor, and the overall height is probably over seven meters. However, there are only two small windows at the top of the loft, I don't know if it will be stuffy. Another one is a pure three-bedroom apartment, but also on the top floor, which has a flat roof that might leak rain. Alas.

  Don't wait for me to add more tonight, it's going to be very late, I've been typing for at least two hours now.