Chapter 82: The Unexpected Turn of Events (Part 1)

  The next day, the servants of the Xue family got up a bit earlier than usual. Mrs. Xue had already gone to Old Lady's room early in the morning. As soon as she entered the door, she heard the laughter of Second Madam Xue, "I didn't get up early, I couldn't sleep all night thinking about this matter."

  Madam Xue laughed and said: "What? Are you going to threaten me into taking you with me to the palace?"

  Xue Er's wife burst out laughing again.

  Mrs. Xue entered the house, and the maids came up to pay their respects. Old Mrs. Xue sat on a velvet couch, while Second Mistress was combing her hair. Both of them had smiles in their eyes. When she saw Mrs. Xue, Old Mrs. Xue said kindly, "You've come so early? Didn't I tell you not to get up so early yesterday?"

  Xue Er's wife turned her head to look at Mrs. Xue and said, "Mother is afraid that sister will be tired."

  Mrs. Xue glared at Mrs. Xue II through the mirror, "You're the only one who can talk, I think what you know. Yesterday your sister-in-law was busy all day and naturally she's tired."

  Mrs. Xue stood by, seemingly an outsider, and this situation didn't match her at all.

  Xue Er's wife smiled and said, "Sister, take a look at the hairstyle I did for Mother-in-law. Is it okay?"

  Madam Xue watched as the two servants helped Old Madam put on her formal headdress and wear a ceremonial robe, before they escorted her into the sedan chair.

  Madam Xue seemed to notice that her eldest daughter-in-law had something to say before she got into the sedan chair, so she turned around and patted Madam Xue's hand, "Let's talk about it when I get back from the palace."

  Madam Xue nodded. Madam Xue and the Empress Dowager in the palace had a very good relationship, and Imperial Noble Consort Hua was also deeply favored by the Empress Dowager. This time when she returned, she should be able to hear some news.

  Mrs. Xue pondered for a while, until the old lady's sedan disappeared from view, before returning with the second wife, each lost in their own thoughts, exchanging only small talk along the way.

  ……

  Ronghua returned from paying respects to the madam, and Mugen entered the house with a very unhappy expression. The tenth young lady, Jinghua, arrived just as Mugen was bringing in soup for Ronghua from the small kitchen.

  Xinghua was smiling and nodding, with the two maids by her side. Since hearing about her falling into the water last night, Mugen had been busy running around, making ginger soup and hot water for her to soak her feet. In the middle of the night, she fell asleep, and Jinxiu and Mugen both came to feel her forehead, worried that she would catch a cold. Fortunately, her body had always been good, and last night she only shivered a few times, with a slightly feverish cheek. She was fine after waking up in the morning.

  In the morning, she went to pay her respects to Madame, who was busy instructing Chen Mama to send someone from the household to buy medicine for Second Sister. When she saw her come in, she only casually asked her a question, "Is your body uncomfortable? If you don't feel well, hurry up and invite the doctor over." It's just going through the motions, if she really cared about her, wouldn't she have asked last night?

  Ronghua didn't mind this, what she really couldn't put down was the look in Madame's eyes, with some colors she had never seen before flashing inside, slightly scrutinizing and worrying, even with a hint of pity.

  Strange pity.

  Rong Hua and Xing Hua hadn't exchanged a word yet, when Chen Mama lifted the curtain and entered the room. Rong Hua and Xing Hua immediately stood up to greet her. Chen Mama's face was full of smiles, "Miss Ten is also here?"

  Jinghua smiled and said: "I've come to ask Eighth Sister for an embroidery pattern," as she waved the pouch in her hand.

  Mrs. Chen smiled kindly, "It's great that the young ladies are learning this." After speaking, she went to look at Ronghua, who was wearing a lake-green rose-colored jacket, and her face didn't have any makeup on it yet still looked radiant and charming, standing there with elegance and cuteness, wasn't her temperament better than any other young lady's? Who knows...

  Honghua's eyes flickered slightly as she stepped forward and had Chen Mama sit down beside her. Her long, fan-shaped eyelashes drooped downward. "Chen Mama, what brings you here?"

  Madam Chen was taken aback, then coughed and said, "There's something to ask the young lady about. The first dawn in the second miss's room was liked by the grandson of the old lady's steward, Sun Dajia, and yesterday they came to take her away as a bride. Now the second miss's room is short-handed, so the old lady and madam thought of the jade in eighth miss's room, who originally belonged to the second miss's room, and came to ask...

  It seems that they want to let Feicui return to Yaohua's side, she is overjoyed but deliberately shows some hesitation on her face.

  Ronghua's hesitation made the eavesdropping Feicui anxious, she was eager to return to the second young lady's place every day. Having stayed with the eighth young lady for a long time, what if one day the eighth young lady got engaged and wanted her to be a companion?

  Ronghua nodded after hesitating for half a day: "Since that's the case, let Feicui follow Mom over."

  Madam Chen immediately curved her eyes, "I said that Eighth Miss is a good talker." Madam Chen usually likes to sit in Eighth Miss's room for a while, but today she can't sit still. Mu Jin brought Fei Cui into the room, and Madam Chen stood up, "Then I won't disturb Eighth Miss anymore."

  Rong Hua stood up and escorted Chen Mama to the door, Chen Mama walked into the courtyard, unusually turned her head and looked at Rong Hua again, meeting Rong Hua's gaze, Chen Mama revealed a kind smile.

  This smile is faintly placed on his face, without any pretence.

  Ronghua's body gradually stiffened.

  Ronghua returned to the house, sewing and asking Mugui: "After we went to the Hou Mansion yesterday, did any guests come home?"

  Mugwort nodded, "It was the eldest lady of the second old lady's house who led her sister-in-law and nephew over to kowtow to the old lady."

  Jinghua also heard about this and called Sixth Sister over.

  It turned out to be what she thought, her grandmother wanted to find a marriage for Rong Hua, and this matter had nothing to do with her...

  That's not this one.

  Ronghua recalled the events of last night, that person who blocked the horse carriage, claiming to be Father's subordinate, although he was very respectful to Madame, his words and tone revealed a hint of arrogance, trapping them in the carriage, no matter how harshly Madame scolded him, he had an attitude of "what can you do to me", like a rascal who had grasped someone else's weakness.

  Could it be that Honghua's hand trembled and the needle tip pricked her finger, causing a drop of crimson blood to ooze out.

  Jinghua hastily put down the needle and thread in her hand to take a look, "Eighth sister, what's wrong with you?"

  Rong Hua gazed at the drop of blood slowly seeping into the silk.

  ……

  Madam Chen sent Feicui into Second Miss's room and then went to report back to Madame, "Eighth Miss didn't say anything and just let Feicui follow me out. On the other hand, Second Miss's room was in a mess, with many things being handled by Chunxiao herself. The other maids couldn't figure it out for the time being."

  Madam asked: "Didn't Yohua say anything?"

  Madam Chen took another step forward and said, "The second young lady only said that Chū Xiǎo is not getting any younger and shouldn't be delayed. She had previously thought of finding a good match for Chū Xiǎo, but at the time couldn't bear to part with her."

  The madam raised an eyebrow, "There are still a few older maids in the mansion? When it's time to marry them off, they should be sent out." It's better that way, so when they get older and have their own thoughts, they won't stir up trouble and cause unrest in the household.

  Madam Chen just nodded, but there were also many older maids in the mansion. Not to mention the ones serving the young ladies, when they got married, these maids would naturally have a place to go too. Just take Chunyao from the mistress's quarters and Ruiqing from old madam's quarters, their ages were all suitable.

  The lady got up and walked towards the warm pavilion, saying to Chen's mother as she walked: "Yao Hua's affairs should also be prepared."

  Mrs. Dai and Chen's mother were talking in the warm pavilion.

  The woman at the second gate of Tao's mansion was dozing off with her eyes narrowed, when someone rushed in from outside and hurriedly patted her awake, "Quickly get up and report inside, Madame Xue has arrived."

  The old woman was drowsy and asked, "Which Xue Er Tai Tai?"

  He glared at her, "Which Xue are you talking about? Of course it's the Xue family of Wu Mu Hou."

  The old woman hastily reported inside.

  Yesterday I was a guest at the Wu Mu Hou Fu, and today someone from the Xue family came to visit. Anyone can guess what's going on.

  Watching Mrs. Dai welcome Xue Erniang in.

  The women at the back door whispered, "I think Second Miss is set to marry Wu Mu Hou. This way, Eldest Brother-in-law will be the heir and Second Brother-in-law will be a marquis..." The two legitimate misses of the Tao family were married off so well, as for those illegitimate misses, who cares.

  Xue's wife sat in a chair and smiled: "These days I've been appearing in front of the first wife, won't she get annoyed?"

  Mrs. Dai was amused by Mrs. Xue, "I'm glad the lady comes every day." But in her heart, she was secretly pondering the intention of Mrs. Xue's visit, wondering if it had anything to do with what the carriage driver who sent them back last night might have said?

  Madam Xue took a sip of tea. "Old Madam went to the palace today, so I came over for a visit when I had some free time." She paused and asked, "Is Eighth Miss doing well?"

  "Never mind. You're too kind to worry about me."

  Madam Xue got up with embarrassment, "It's all because of the negligence of the servants in the mansion that Miss Ba was harmed... Madam is not blaming us but instead being so polite, how can I feel at ease?"

  Two people exchanged a smile and said some idle words.

  The atmosphere in the house relaxed, and Mrs. Xue said: "There's another thing, I came to ask Mrs. Dajia, I want to hold a lantern festival in the mansion, and invite all the familiar ladies and young ladies to come and play. However, without poetry riddles, it won't be fun. If only our own young ladies write them, it will also be boring. So I thought, let's ask all the familiar young ladies to write some, put them together, you guess mine, I guess yours, that's more interesting." As she spoke, she had her maid bring out a box, which was opened to reveal red paper. Mrs. Xue looked at these and smiled, "I came today just for this."

  The Lantern Festival is usually held on the 15th day of the first lunar month, which is still far away. Besides, looking at Mrs. Xue's intention, it seems that she wants to write it down now. This matter is probably not simple, and although Mrs. Xue thinks so, she can't think of any reason. Mrs. Xue has come all the way for this purpose, and she can't refuse, so she smiles at Chen Mama and says: "Go and invite Second Miss and Eighth Miss over."

  Today Pinky has updated more, everyone wait a moment...

  This month's child is really tired, looking at one day and coding makes me exhausted.

  Waaah~