In the warm pavilion of Foning Hall.

  At this time, Lin Ying, Lin Yong, Zhuang Shi and Dou Shi gathered together, everyone had a frowning expression.

  Mr. Qi walked in from outside, glanced at everyone, and then sat down beside Lin Yong, saying: "They've all asked clearly, it's said that when they were at the Qingliang Temple, the second son of the Jiang family accompanied Madame Hou of Zhongshan to worship Buddha. Madame Hou of Zhongshan injured her foot, so Qian Niang and Xia Yini invited her to rest in the backyard. Back and forth, she had dealings with the second son of the Jiang family, but the two always treated each other with courtesy, without any impropriety. As for how her hairpin and handkerchief ended up in the hands of the second son of the Jiang family, Qian Niang said she wasn't clear either."

  Li said with a snort: "I don't know, I believe her and there's no ghost, she's just like that aunt of hers, with all sorts of improper thoughts in her belly. Qingliang Temple is a nunnery, when can men be allowed to enter?" She also said: "I'm afraid this time, that aunt of hers also had a hand in it."

  Mr. Li thought of the Marquis of Zhongshan holding a hairpin and handkerchief to find her, every word and deed shifting the blame onto his son, "It's all my second child who is not good, doing things without rules, offending the young lady of the noble mansion" "I have already severely punished him" "Madam can rest assured, this time no matter it's me or Xiao Er, we will absolutely not speak out, and will not bring any bad influence to Miss Jin's reputation" "And this hairpin and handkerchief, I also return them to Madam, as our guarantee." But on his face was an expression of "we both understand".

  Li felt like he had swallowed a fly.

  She was born into the prestigious Li family of Taiyuan, and her husband's family, the Lin family, was also a family that valued propriety. She had lived for most of her life without anyone ever criticizing or questioning her on matters of propriety. Yet, in her old age, she was so thoroughly deceived by a concubine that she couldn't even utter a word of defense in front of others.

  Lin Yong asked Mrs. Tai: "What does the Jiang family mean? Bringing a handkerchief and hairpin is to threaten our Lin family."

  Li said: "They want to ask for Jian Niang's hand in marriage."

  Mr. Li thought of what Madame Zhongshan said again.

  "Now that things have come to this, I also asked our second child at home, and he indeed has a crush on Miss Jin. I thought that these two children might be secretly in love with each other. Since things have happened like this, as parents we can't stop them either, so I proposed marriage for our second child to Miss Jin."

  "Madam, please be assured that we didn't mean to coerce you. This matter still requires your consideration. My previous words are also valid; regardless of whether you agree or not, we won't reveal the truth about the hairpin and handkerchief, so as not to make things difficult for Miss Jin."

  "Although Miss Lin is a concubine's daughter, if she enters our household, we will still treat her as one of our own daughters."

  If Zhongshan Hou had come up and accused Lin Wei of her behavior with the hairpin and handkerchief, she would have still had something to say in return. A man running to a nunnery was already unjustifiable, even using Zhongshan Hou as an excuse. But now that the Jiang family has lowered their stance so much, taking the blame and asking for marriage, pretending they are willing to take responsibility, it's left her speechless.

  I've always heard that Madame Zhongshan was eloquent, today I finally got to witness it myself.

  Lin Yongdao said, "Although the Zhongshan Hou Mansion has been declining in recent years, they also have a few powerful relatives by marriage. Since things have turned out this way and they are willing to propose marriage, I think it's not bad for the two families to become related through marriage."

  Lin Ying shook her head in disapproval, saying: "The Jiang family has always been a wall-to-wall grass, and now that our Lin family is rising with the tide, they're willing to let their second son marry our illegitimate daughter. But what about later? The winds of the imperial court are unpredictable, and it's impossible for our Lin family to always be so smooth-sailing. If our Lin family falls on hard times, the Jiang family will probably change direction immediately." It would be better if the Jiang family didn't throw stones at the Lin family when they come.

  Dong Shi said at this time: "I agree with San Di's meaning. Lin's family would rather have fewer helpful relatives than some unreliable ones." After finishing, she turned her head to look at Li Shi and said: "Mother, what do you think?"

  Li closed her eyes, thought for a moment, and beckoned Fumomo over, saying: "You go ask that girl if she's willing to marry Jiang Er Gongzi, now that the wife of Zhongshan Hou is seeking to arrange their marriage."

  Fumu said something and then left.

  "Alright, the sky is going to rain and the daughter-in-law is going to get married. We can't stop her even if we want to. Since she's capable of doing such things, if we try to stop her, who knows what other foolish things she might do? If she wants to get married, let her get married. Whether it turns out good or bad, it's all on her own head. I won't bother with it anymore, nor can I."

  After a while, Fu Momo returned with Lin Ge's blushing and smiling reply: "It's up to Mother and the elder brothers to decide."

  That's all right then.

  "Go and reply to the Jiang family, settle the marriage as soon as possible, choose an early date for the wedding, and get her married off quickly. Just seeing her makes my head ache. If she stays at home any longer, I don't know how many more years I can survive being tormented by her."

  Zhuang's family hurried over, held her hand and said: "Look at you, even if you're confused, you can't say such unlucky words. Hush, hush, hush, mother will definitely live to be a hundred years old in the future, I'm still waiting for you to take care of Cheng Zheng and Cheng Liang's children."

  "Go ahead and take care of all these things," said Mrs. Li, waving her hand at them. "Prepare the dowry, set the wedding date, you can handle it yourselves, no need to ask me." She then called for Fu Mu and said, "Help me back to my room to rest."

  The Zhuang and Qi clans exchanged a glance with the Duan clan, then bid farewell to the Li clan before following their husbands out.

  After waiting for a while, Mrs. Qi also had some complaints and shook her handkerchief, saying: "What kind of thing is this?"

  Other people's families are all bad bamboo shoots good bamboo, but in their family it becomes good bamboo shoots bad bamboo. The Lin family has a pot of good soup, how did they produce this piece of rat dung, Lin Wei?

  Zhuang patted her hand and comforted her, saying: "I'll go to the Jiang family to negotiate with them. I remember that you and Madame Zhongshan didn't get along very well."

  Qī Shì had always been a master of long sleeves and good dancing, able to navigate all sides with ease. However, even for someone as skilled as Qī Shì, there were still people who didn't get along, to the point where they wouldn't even want to attend social gatherings. For Qī Shì, that person was Zhōng Shān Hóu Fū Rén. The origins of Qī Shì's dislike for Zhōng Shān Hóu Fū Rén dated back to when she was still a young girl. One of her cousins had almost become engaged to Zhōng Shān Hóu, but the current Zhōng Shān Hóu Fū Rén had intervened and ruined the arrangement.

  Although her cousin is now married to a good man and living a happy life, fortunately not marrying the Marquis of Zhongshan, Qi still dislikes the Marchioness of Zhongshan as much as she did back then.

  Qī pulled Zhū's hand and said gratefully: "Xiān Niáng, thank you so much."

  "One family doesn't need to speak two languages."