Chapter 468 Make Up for the Wedding
"I agree." Xiao Jiaen listened to his father's question and agreed without hesitation.
The words that Mr. Xiao Er had prepared were useless. He stared at Xiao Jiaen and asked, "Jiaen, I want to make Concubine Lan my wife, your mother..."
"Didn't Fan get a divorce?" Xiao Jiaen lowered his eyes.
Mr. Xiao Er also sensed something was wrong. Xiao Yurong, who was standing beside him, blinked and asked, "Jia En, did she come to see you?"
Under the pressure of his father and sister, Xiao Jiaen told the story of his meeting with Fan. This meeting made Xiao Jiaen feel that his mother was a stranger.
"You said that Fan asked you to take the son surnamed Chen to school? Why isn't she dreaming? You entered Hanhua Academy. Let alone the Chen family, a mere businessman, even the officials in Shengjing would have to rack their brains to get a place in the academy. They would need the recommendation of a great scholar and someone to nominate you!"
"She also asked you to treat the Chen family's son as your own brother?"
"She also asked you to apologize to the Chen family's son? The Chen family doesn't deserve it!"
Master Xiao felt uncomfortable after hearing this. He asked, "Did she ask you if it was hard in Lingnan? Did you ever feel overwhelmed while traveling?"
"..." Xiao Jiayuan remained silent. This was what made him most uncomfortable. Fan's eyes were full of calculations. She only wanted to gain benefits from him and was even close to the son of the Chen family.
It was obviously the son of the Chen family who hit him on purpose, but Fan didn't see it and said that he was relying on the Xiao family to bully the Chen family! Let him apologize to the son of the Chen family.
He remembered his mother's kindness and gave all the money he had saved over the years to Fan. However, Fan's eyes were full of disdain: why was it so little? She also said that it was the money she left for him and Yurong to marry when she left home...
During his three years in Lingnan, Xiao Jiaen not only grew taller, but also grew smarter. Especially in the past three years, because he was the youngest, he had been with his grandfather the longest.
Xiao Jiaen discovered that he was wrong before.
…
"Righten it?"
In the evening, after a family dinner, Mr. Xiao Er went to Madam Xiao and proposed that Shang Lan be promoted to the position of wife. He said, "Mother, Yurong and Jiaen both agree. You can ask them to come over for questioning."
Madam Xiao twirled her Buddhist beads, looked at him, and asked, "There are precedents in Shengjing for concubines being promoted to the position of legitimate wife. However, if you take her out with you in the future, I'm afraid she will be treated as inferior and gossip will be inevitable."
"Mother, I'm not afraid of gossip. I just want to ask, will it affect the Xiao family?" Mr. Xiao asked nervously.
Madam Xiao glanced at him and replied, "No."
"Then there's nothing to worry about." Second Master Xiao was relieved. He said, "Our Xiao family doesn't allow concubines, and I don't want to marry another woman. The Second House needs a mistress to support the family. You can't let a grown man like me negotiate with my in-laws about Yurong and Jiaen's marriages in the future, right?"
"Mother Jiang, call Shang over." Old Madam Xiao said.
Seeing this, Second Master Xiao was afraid that Old Madam Xiao would not agree, so he hurriedly said, "Mother, this is my own idea. It has nothing to do with Shang Lan, Mother..."
"Second brother, if you want to make her your wife, shouldn't you ask her if she's willing?" Old Madam Xiao glanced at him. This look of hers as if she would bully his wife made Old Madam Xiao very angry. She said angrily, "When have I ever bullied the Shang family? You are such a mean person."
If Shang Lan hadn't been a good person to her in recent years, she would have had this intention. When Old Madam Xiao heard this, she wanted to kick him out.
"Mother, I was wrong." Mr. Xiao admitted his mistake obediently.
Madam Xiao was too lazy to pay attention to him. Soon, Shang Lan arrived and bowed to Madam Xiao. Madam Xiao said, "The second son wants to make you his wife. Are you willing?"
Old Madam Xiao's straightforward questioning made Shang Lan confused. She subconsciously looked at Mr. Xiao Er who was standing beside her, her eyes seemed to be confirming something.
"Lan'er, now that the second house has no wife and no mistress, many things are inconvenient." Master Xiao looked at her eyes like autumn water, exactly the same as when he saw her in Yizhou a few years ago.
She is as gentle as water and as sweet as a flower. No matter whether the Xiao family is prosperous or in decline, she has never left the Xiao family.
"Thank you, Second Master, for your kindness." After Shang Lan was shocked, she looked at Old Madam Xiao and said, "Old Madam, if you approve, I am willing!"
Shang Lan came from a merchant family. When she first met Mr. Xiao Er, she didn't know his identity. Later, she hesitated for a long time before deciding to marry him, even as a concubine.
Shang Lan had speculated and fantasized about the current situation of the second branch of the Xiao family. When the day really came, Shang Lan was extremely excited, but she still remembered her identity.
"Shang, you were promoted from a concubine to the wife. From now on, when you go to banquets, you will be inferior to the wife of the main wife, and you will be excluded by the concubines. Are you willing to live like this?" Old Lady Xiao directly stated the consequences.
If Shang Lan becomes the legal wife, it is necessary for her to attend the banquet. At that time, there will be a lot of rumors and cold remarks.
Shang Lan's heart trembled. She bowed gracefully and said, "Old Madam, I'm not afraid. The eldest lady said that as long as you do your best, you won't be afraid of any rumors."
Shang Lan's words were resolute and her voice was firm. Looking at Shang Lan at this moment, Old Lady Xiao couldn't help but think of Shang Lan's confidence when doing business. In Zhiyun Tower, Shang Lan was able to handle things with ease, unlike those women who were trapped in the backyard and could only complain without any reason.
"Okay, three days from now will be a good day. We'll hold a wedding for you and the second son in the mansion." Old Madam Xiao looked at Shang Lan with a smile, her eyes fixed on the second master Xiao who was grinning like a fool. "Second son, we can only hold a wedding for you in the mansion. A grand ceremony is not enough."
"Mom, I know. Even so, I am very satisfied." Mr. Xiao was very happy. At the beginning, because he was taking a concubine, there was no wedding at all. In addition, Fan made a fuss, and he always felt guilty towards Shang Lan.
Now, he was able to make up for the wedding. Although he was already old, he was very satisfied. He looked at Shang Lan, whose face was flushed, and said gratefully, "Mom, thank you!"
"Okay, if you want to thank someone, thank Yurong and Jiaen, and thank Yue'er." Old Madam Xiao looked at Mr. Xiao who was as happy as a fool, and simply drove them away to have some peace and quiet.
Soon, the news spread throughout the mansion. After hearing it, Xiao Jiuyue couldn't help but feel happy for Shang Lan.
"Sister, didn't Zhiyunlou make several wedding gowns before? I think..." Xiao Yurong came to find Xiao Jiuyue and said, "My aunt is going to have a new wedding now, so she should wear a new wedding gown."
"The wedding gowns from Zhiyun Tower are made of the new Zhiyun brocade and are the most beautiful. Let's use that one." Xiao Jiuyue spoke directly, looking at Xiao Yurong and asked, "Yurong, after Aunt Lan officially becomes the legal wife, you should change your tune. Do you feel uncomfortable?"
"A little bit, but I'm still very happy for my aunt." Xiao Yurong sat on the soft couch beside Xiao Jiuyue, looking at the roses outside the window, and said, "Over the past three years, although she was just a aunt, she fulfilled her responsibilities as a mother."
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