Chapter Thirty-Three: Father (Part One)

  Soon, Ronghua also received the news on this side.

  Chun Yao took the opportunity of sending colored silk threads to come to Rong Hua's house.

  Chun Yao helped Rong Hua sort out the embroidery threads. As they worked, he casually mentioned, "I've found that embroiderer Miss asked me to find last time."

  Ronghua was just holding the handbag and comparing it from a distance, when she heard Chunyao's words, she put down her hand and asked, "How is it? Did you learn the embroidery method of that peony flower from her?"

  Chun Yao lowered her head and smiled slightly, with a mixture of joy and worry, "I've learned it. The embroiderer said that this embroidery technique is not common, it's from a certain place in Jiangnan."

  Ronghua secretly thought to herself that Chunyao was petite and delicate, with slightly pale skin, indeed somewhat resembling the southern maids in the mansion. However, even if she knew this, Jiangnan was so far away, and without someone from the mansion helping to search, there would be no result. The first wife managing the household wouldn't agree, and given her current situation, she couldn't help either, unless one day she married out and Chunyao followed her out of the mansion, gaining status in her husband's household, then she would have the right to speak.

  But her marriage has no fixed date yet.

  Ronghua handed the embroidered pouch to Chunyao, "I've been embroidering this flower for a long time, I took it apart and re-embroidered it, this pattern is the most difficult, now I finally finished embroidering it, isn't that what they say: good things take time."

  Good things come after trials and tribulations, a glimmer of hope appeared on Chun Yao's face.

  Mugwort gave tea to Chun Yao.

  Chun Yao got up and took a sip, then gave Rong Hua a look, and Rong Hua pulled Chun Yao into the inner room to talk.

  "Miss, did you know that today a Mrs. Xue came to our house?"

  Rong Hua nodded, "I've heard it from the girls."

  Chun Yao asked again: "Does Eighth Miss know that this Mrs. Xue has come to propose a marriage?"

  The mansion has been rumored for the past few days that someone from the Wang family will come to propose a marriage, Rong Hua pretended not to know anything, "These past two days, there's been rumors in the mansion that the Minister of the Ministry of Justice wants to take one of our young ladies as his concubine."

  Chun Yao nodded, "Madam Xue is here to propose a marriage on behalf of the Wang family, and it's for the official wife of Wang Shangshu's younger brother."

  Ronghua was shocked upon hearing this, how could she suddenly become the legitimate wife of Wang Shangshu's younger brother, the younger brother of a high-ranking official in the imperial court.

  Chun Yao said: "There's one more thing I need to tell you, Miss. The reason Madam rushed to the Hou residence today is because Eldest Young Miss had a miscarriage."

  Although she had already guessed it, Ronghua couldn't help but feel a pang of shock. Shuhua's child still didn't make it.

  Shu Hua's child is gone, and Jia San Niang's threat becomes even greater. The old lady will definitely think of a way to make up for it, so...

  Yi Cheng Hou Fu, Wang Jia and Wu Mu Hou Fu, all seemed like excellent marriages on the surface, but she didn't know which one was a quagmire that would swallow her whole once she stepped in.

  "Miss Ba," Chun Yao said with a serious face, "you should think carefully about your own future." With that, he didn't linger and left with several embroidered pouches.

  Chun Yao left, Jin Xiucai returned from outside, Rong Hua asked, "How is it? The people of the second and third houses will arrive in a few days, right?"

  Jinxiu said: "I heard that in four or five days' time, it will arrive."

  Just then, Chen's mother entered the courtyard.

  The wooden door creaked open and Chen Mama walked in with her hands clasped together, her eyes immediately falling on Rong Hua embroidering a purse.

  Ronghua smiled and stood up, "How did mom come?"

  Madam Chen smiled and pointed her chin at Ronghua's hand, "Isn't it for this? The mistress asked me to come over and take a look at how the young lady is preparing. This day is approaching."

  Ronghua handed the basket beside her to Chen Mama, "Most of them have been given to Chunyao, only a few trivial ones are not yet embroidered, these two days can be done well. You go back and tell your mother, let her rest assured, I will definitely handle these things properly."

  Mu Ge moved the embroidered stool over for Chen Mama to sit down, and as she looked at those pouches, Chen Mama said: "Eighth Miss is a meticulous person, especially with this gentle temperament, something that Eldest Madam and the two young ladies often mention."

  Ronghua lowered her head and blushed, "Look what you're saying."

  Chen Mama and Rong Hua chatted for a while, sometimes praising her thick earlobes as a sign of good fortune, and sometimes saying that she and the eldest sister had similar temperaments.

  Rong Hua knew these words were false, but after careful consideration, he could still gather some information from them.

  The big wife started making moves after Mrs. Xue came over, and you can tell if you compare them slightly.

  On Miss Liu's side, Fourth Aunt suddenly "fell ill", but instead sent over a second-class maid named Jinxiu.

  When Madame Wang went to the Rongguo Mansion, Chen Mama blocked Sixth Miss and wouldn't let her go into Fourth Aunt's room. The two of them had some argument, and Muzhi heard a maid who was standing aside at that time say that Sixth Miss left, and Chen Mama said fiercely, "Let's see how long she can be proud."

  On the contrary, Chen's mother was even more affectionate towards her than usual, especially when mentioning the eldest sister, Chen's mother couldn't help but have a flicker in her eyes.

  It seems that the madam has already chosen a candidate, she is likely to marry into the Hou Mansion as a concubine for Zhao Xuanhuan. Yanhua will naturally be on the side of the Wang family, and the marriage between the second young lady and the Wu Mouhou family was carefully selected by the madam.

  The Marquis of Wu Mu is naturally not as cruel and evil as the rumors outside.

  The old lady has made a good move, and the second young lady can marry out with a flourish. The two concubines have also made contributions to the prosperity of the family.

  Although Hou's family is not bad compared to the Wang's, Yun Hua smiled and said that if she hadn't died once, she might have been grateful to marry into their family.

  In the future, if she really has children, she will end up like Liu Yiniang.

  Die without illness.

  Madam Hou and the first wife were secretly competing with each other, she didn't want to follow along and stir up trouble.

  Rong Hua called Jinxiu and Muxin to his side, "There are some things that still need your attention. Firstly, the second miss of the mansion, and secondly, the Yi Cheng Hou Fu."

  The second lady's illness has been cured, but it's hard to get through the mistress's side. She can only think of a way to bypass the mistress and may even be able to fight for it.

  The next day, the Marquis of Yi Cheng's residence indeed sent someone over with some things. Mu Jin asked around and then came over to say, "Second Miss's illness can really be cured now. It's said that the medicine is extremely precious and our family couldn't afford it, so the Marquis of Yi Cheng's residence sent someone to deliver the medicine." Mu Jin lowered her voice even further, "Also heard that Second Miss's illness cannot be overexerted, she needs to take good care of herself in order to recover."

  Ronghua remembered that a very skilled doctor had come to the mansion before to treat Yaohua, and he had said something similar. If this time Yaohua could really cultivate her mind and nurture her nature... Ronghua smiled slightly, then she would have recovered from her illness years ago, why wait until today.

  ……

  Taoye returned to his mansion after finishing all the errands outside Beijing.

  Ronghua was embroidering a purse in the mistress's room, while Yanhua went out to greet Master as usual. The father and daughter entered the courtyard together, chatting and laughing, very affectionate.

  Ronghua followed Seventh Aunt to live outside the mansion for many years, and Master rarely went to visit them. Even if he did go, Ronghua would deliberately avoid him. A formal meeting like today was a first.

  For Ronghua, this was a reunion with her father after three years apart.

  Master Tao is seven or eight years older than Madame, but he doesn't look any older. In the past three years, except for a slight weight gain, there has been no other change. Ronghua glanced at him lightly and then looked away, pretending to be slightly afraid of Master Tao, and walked forward in a dignified manner to pay her respects, calling out "Father".

  The old master quite likes Yan Hua's cute appearance, for him, the eighth young lady is too dignified and lacks a bit of spirit, with an extra bit of politeness.

  The lady took out the embroidered pouch made by Ronghua and showed it to the old master, who only glanced at it casually and said "good" before turning his head towards Yanhua.

  Yan Hua was even more delighted, in this kind of occasion where closeness and distance were distinguished, she was naturally the biggest winner. Her father doted on her, and the first wife also looked at her with different eyes, whatever she wanted, she could get it, unlike Rong Hua who was neglected wherever she went.

  The maid brought up the tea set, and Yan Hua personally went to make Gongfu tea. She picked out the tea leaves from the tea canister, Guanyin entered the palace, the kettle was hung high, the spring breeze swept across her face, General Guan patrolled the city, Han Xin reviewed his troops, all done in one breath.

  Finally, the tea was presented in front of the old master. The old master opened the tea lid and smelled the fragrance, a look of joy appeared on his face, "The way Rong Hua brews tea is exactly the same as Yu'er's."

  Ronghua knew that Yuer was the nickname of Fourth Aunt.

  Yan Hua is deliberately making Da Lao Ye think of Fourth Auntie.

  The old master drank tea and asked, "How is Jade?"

  Yan Hua Sheng feared someone would speak up first, and didn't even dare to blink, hastily responding: "Fourth Aunt has been ill these past few days."

  "Are you ill?" The old master couldn't help but raise his eyebrows, "Have you seen a doctor?"

  The old lady smiled and said, "I've seen it, I'm taking the medicine now..." Before she finished speaking, the old master nodded and said, "Wait a moment, I'll go take a look."

  Yan Hua smiled.

  Tomorrow is Monday again...