"Miss, isn't it time for the boat to set off?" Bai He helped Qiu San Niang get up.

  "It's time." Qiu Sanniang had just finished her afternoon nap, with her hair loose and scattered, a flush of peach blossoms on her face, and a lazy, beautiful expression.

  On the same morning that Mozi transformed into Moge and left, matchmaker Xie came again, saying that Qiu San Niang and Xiao San Gongzi's eight characters were a heavenly match, and immediately finalized the engagement. Not only did she finalize it, but matchmaker Xie also said that since the capital was far away, the wedding date should be set for the day when Wei Yiniang returned, with the protection of the Wang Fu crowd, and Qiu Fu could save some effort in sending off the bride. This way, there were only ten days left until the wedding.

  Although Zhang's mouth complained about the rush, since it was Old Master Qiu who had decided on the matter, if she were to obstruct further and the marriage were to be regretted, it would affect the reputation of the Qiu Manor. Considering her own young daughter, for now she could only swallow her anger and agree to everything.

  "What about Green Chrysanthemum?" asked Qiu Sanniang, slowly combing her long hair.

  "Ever since the young lady said she would leave in ten days, she has been rushing to finish her trousseau. Although she had done quite a bit of embroidery these past few days, she hadn't expected that once they decided on the marriage, it would happen so soon - she thought even if they got engaged, the wedding wouldn't be until year's end. Honestly, this marriage is good and all, but it's just too rushed." Bai He helped Qiu San Niang with her hair. She was a jack-of-all-trades, able to do everything well.

  "I see that Wei's wife has made up her mind to bring one back this time." Qiu San Niang said as she helped Bai He get ready, "The night is long and dreams are many, following the people from Jing Wang Fu will be easier on the mind. As for whether or not I'll send you off, I don't care either way."

  "That won't do." Bai He was more familiar with the rules of the mansion than Qiu San Niang, "If a young lady doesn't have her natal family send her off, people will gossip when she marries in. It's best if her parents personally see her off, but Master is unwell and Madame... At least it should be Fourth Master or Fifth Master sending her off, they are brothers after all. Look at Fourth Madame and Fifth Madame, with the support of their natal family, even Madame has to fawn on them."

  "They not only have a mother's family, but also a mother's mother. A daughter with a mother, married out, is still a treasure in the palm of one's hand. I am just an empty title of eldest sister, if it weren't for my careful planning this time, I'm afraid that Zhang would have found a match for me that would become a laughing stock later on. The maternal family supporting me? Otherwise, it would be like becoming sworn enemies in the future, and I would burn incense to thank the Buddha. Idle talk, people will say, I can only pretend not to hear. If not, my fourth brother ran to the capital to flirt with flowers and ask about willows, my fifth brother went to the Jingwang Fu to pick flowers and grass, it would really make me unable to be a person." Qiu San Niang understood her own family deeply.

  "Miss, would you like your quilt to be embroidered with flowers or mandarin ducks?" Green Chrysanthemum ran in, still holding an embroidery needle threaded with silk.

  "Mandarin ducks are too common, flowers are the same, how about embroidering mountains and waters?" Chou San-niang liked to be unconventional.

  "Miss?! Where is the embroidered quilt with mountains and rivers?" Green Chrysanthemum was stunned.

  "The embroidered lotus flowers and water lilies, the kind that blooms in early autumn, are a good omen for giving birth to noble sons." Bai He also rejected Qiu San Niang's proposal.

  "This is good. Don't worry, miss, I guarantee it will be elegant." Green Chrysanthemum's embroidery was not only about her exquisite skills but also the designs she created were quite extraordinary.

  Green Chrysanthemum had already stepped out the door, but came back in. "Miss, since Mozi has been away for so many days, what should we say if Fourth Granny asks?"

  "As I said before, Mozi has a relative in the neighboring county and went back home to visit them. If you want to ask again, just push it to me and let her ask me." Qiu San Niang didn't put this matter down in her heart. To win over Mozi, she must help her solve this difficult problem, otherwise, if she lets her do things in the future, she will definitely not be wholehearted.

  "What does the girl plan to do?" Bai He was worried, the small mole at the corner of his mouth twitching as he spoke, "I always feel that Fourth Granny is okay, but Madam won't let us return easily."

  "Fourth Granny is also hard to coax." According to Yijun's view, if the Qiu family can hold on, they should let Fourth Granny take charge.

  "What's good about that?" Green Chrysanthemum was a bit flustered, pinched the needle, and her foot drew back again. "Miss, isn't it really letting Mozi become a concubine?"

  "...Qiu Sanniang's personality, the more anxious others are, the less anxious she is. 'Isn't Meizhi saying that being a concubine is quite good? What are you blindly worried about!' She covered her mouth and laughed."

  "Miss, are you serious?" Green Chrysanthemum was so frightened that she jumped back, "Th...th...that..." She couldn't finish her words.

  "If this matter were to happen to you and Bai He, I would be even more worried. I thought that in the future, even if you get married, you will still stay by my side as a housekeeper." What Qiu San Niang said was true.

  "Miss, where's Xiao Yi?" Green Chrysanthemum turned from Mozi to worry about Xiao Yi.

  "Little Clothes?" Third Sister Qiu laughed even more brightly, "With her skills in climbing trees and walls, who can catch her? Just take her away, no need for me to worry about it."

  "What about the ink purple?" Green Chrysanthemum asked, holding her breath again.

  "The young lady means that Mozi is about 80% similar to Xiaoyi, and she can handle things on her own. However, young lady, now that Mozi has left the house, apart from you, there's no one else who can take responsibility for her." Baihe was not modest, she had skills like Lüjing, but lacked wisdom.

  "Bai He, you've been following me since I was young, don't you know what kind of person I am?" She's a wicked person.

  "The young lady is tough on the outside but soft on the inside, she's just a bit more mischievous than others." Bai He replied respectfully.

  "Was I just being naughty?" Jiǔ Sān Niáng burst out laughing, her laughter completely unlike her usual dignified self. "Bái Hé, you're ultimately kind-hearted and can't bear to say that I'm not a good person. What kind of person I am, I know clearly in my heart. At that time, although I was young, but when my mother spat out her last breath, she told me something that I will never forget. Women who steal men's hearts are like snakes and scorpions, and she told me to never be soft-hearted towards women like that. In these years, I followed Father traveling around the world, letting Zhang Shi and others manage the household, but it was just because I didn't want to become a woman like them. But you've seen my methods of snatching business opportunities - as long as I want to make a deal happen, no matter if it's right or wrong, I will definitely make it happen. I dare to smuggle private goods and disregard national laws. Because I understand that although I'm greedy for wealth, I'm not greedy for love. The romantic love in this world is the most poisonous flower."

  "The girl is a good person." Green Chrysanthemum blushed, "No matter how you describe yourself, Green Chrysanthemum still thinks so." Her life was given by Qiu San Niang.

  "I'm not a good person, and I don't want to be one. I'll just be myself, do what I want, say what I want. Mozi, she's different from all of you, but she's the same as me. I can see it, one day she'll soar to great heights. I'm asking you, even if she can walk on her own, would you still want me to help her?" Jiang Sanniang spoke her mind freely.

  The white lotus and green chrysanthemum exchanged glances, and finally the white lotus spoke up. "Miss, Mozi is also a good person. We've been together for more than half a year, if she had different intentions, we would have noticed. What you said is also right, Mozi is different from us. As for whether she resembles you or not, our eyes are dull and it's hard to say. But Mozi has done so much for us, now that she needs us, we can't just stand by and do nothing. Miss, as long as you instruct us, we're willing to do our best."

  Qiu San Niang said, "Since you say help, I'll help. However, the villain will be dealt with by me, this villain. Don't blame me for being too ruthless later on. I'm not like Mo Zi who wants a peaceful resolution where everyone gets along; I only care about results, not other things."

  Bai He and Lu Ju listened with bated breath, wondering what kind of trick Qiao San Niang was going to use.

  "Go and get me a change of clothes," ordered Chou San-niang. "There's no time to lose, there are still many things to do."

  A strong wind rises, a light boat enters the river, and the waves surge forward.