Just after the Dragon Boat Festival, the dragon boat race slowly overflowed the moat, bringing a touch of moisture to the capital. However, in the teahouses of the capital's West Market, a strange, damp wind suddenly blew, as if foreshadowing the quiet arrival of a storm.
Outside the teahouse, a group of old women in blue cloth jackets were huddled tightly in front of a fried cake stall. The lotus-leaf hats as big as copper basins on their heads were pulled down very low, almost covering most of their faces. Only a few gritted teeth muttered occasionally leaked out from between their fingers: "The daughter of the prime minister's family... I heard that she is unlucky in marriage!" Although their voices were low, they were like small stones, causing ripples in the crowd.
Aunt Zhang, who sells tea eggs, was adding firewood to a bamboo basket, oil from the pot occasionally splattering on her apron. Hearing this, she immediately became interested and, busy as she worked, added, "That's right! On the day Wang's second son proposed, he fell off his horse and broke his leg. And then there's the cousin Liu. After handing in the engagement letter, a frightened mare kicked her in the face the very next day, and she's still in the clinic getting medicated!" At this point, she suddenly lowered her voice, gently nudged the sleeve of the woman next to her with the corner of her apron, and said mysteriously, "I hear she's incredibly strong, capable of killing three husbands. If Jiang Zhuangyuan marries her...tsk, tsk, tsk."
On the second floor of the teahouse, the storyteller had just struck the wake-up call, ready to begin the day's story, when these rumors drifted freely along the carved wooden railings, tangling right up against the passing sedan chair bearers. The blue wool sedan carrying the silk shop owner lurched violently, and the chatter of the bearers instantly flipped the curtains: "A husband-killer? That's the number one scholar! This is truly bizarre."
At the same time, in Zhixia Hall, located in the west wing of the Prime Minister's Mansion, the crisp sound of abacus beads suddenly stopped. Su Jinli was holding a wolf-hair brush, concentrating on recording the various items in the account book. Upon hearing this sudden news, her hand trembled violently, and ink dripped onto the account book, leaving an unsightly stain. She frowned slightly, a hint of coldness flashing in her eyes: "The Wang family? Liu's maternal family? How dare they! Do they think I, Su Jinli, am made of clay?" With that, she pushed the abacus forward with force, and the pear wood beads collided with each other, making a crisp sound, as if venting her inner anger.
Lingge had just gently placed the freshly brewed jasmine tea on the desk. Before she had time to take in the exquisite blue and white lotus pattern on the bottom of the teacup, she hurried to report, "Miss, Old Wang, the gatekeeper in the front yard, said that three groups of old women were peeking at the corner gate of the prime minister's residence this morning." Before she finished speaking, she heard a sudden burst of hurried footsteps outside the moon-shaped door, and then a group of red shadows rushed in hurriedly - it was the young Marquis Su, he was carrying a gilded crescent-shaped sword that was taller than a man, with a piece of stinky tofu dripping with oil on the tip of the sword. The sauce slowly flowed down the blade, making brown marks on the blue brick floor.
"Sister!" The young man leaned his sword against the porch pillar with great momentum, threw the piece of stinky tofu on the stone table, and said angrily, "I beat up the boy from the silk shop! He said you... he said you..."
"Again?" Su Jinli helplessly picked up the account book and tapped his head gently, her fingertips accidentally rubbing the sauce on his cheek. "How many times have I told you to use your brain when encountering problems? Using your brain is more effective than using a knife!" As she spoke, she took the handkerchief handed to her by Lingge and was about to wipe the stain from the corner of his mouth when she saw him suddenly put his hands on his hips and glared, looking like a little animal whose tail was stepped on. "But they say you are unlucky! My sister is both civil and martial and can do accounting. Even the Queen Mother praised you as a lucky star. How can you be unlucky? This is nonsense!"
At that moment, the sound of bells chimes echoed from outside the carved lattice door. Su Qingyao entered with graceful steps, clutching a purple glazed incense burner. The lid of the burner was intricately carved with a lotus pattern, and curls of green smoke were emitting a delicate fragrance. She gently placed the incense burner on the windowsill, her brightly glazed nails casually scratching across the account book on the desk. She slowly said, "This is my newly concocted 'Foul-Repelling Incense', specially blended with Atractylodes and Cyperus. I suspected that Liu's maternal family was up to something, so her cousin went to the Wang family ancestral hall yesterday, and sure enough, the rumor started today—"
"Dad is here." Su Jinli suddenly interrupted her softly.
Everyone turned to look, only to see Prime Minister Su, dressed in a stone-blue brocade robe, standing solemnly outside the moon-shaped gate. The Hetian jade pendant on the jade belt buckle at his waist swayed heavily with his steps, revealing its owner's uneasy heart. Prime Minister Su strode into the room and slammed the gold-sprinkled invitation card on the table. The sound of "pa" was so loud that the mahogany tabletop shook, causing the teacups to jump. "The Wang family, in conjunction with the Liu family's relatives, has sent a secret memorial to the Minister of Rites, saying that your horoscope is too strong and may hinder Jiang Zhuangyuan's career."
The corners of the visiting card were emblazoned with the Wang family's distinctive Vermillion Bird pattern. Su Jinli extended her fingertips and gently rubbed the gilded pattern. Suddenly, she smiled softly, but her eyes were devoid of any smile. "Oh? So what do they want?"
"I would like to ask the Emperor to withdraw his decree of marriage." Prime Minister Su drummed his knuckles rhythmically on the visiting card, his face full of anger and disdain. "This is simply outrageous! Do you think my daughter is a plaything that can be summoned and dismissed at will?" The cloud-patterned brocade on his cuffs swept across the table, revealing the old red sandalwood Buddhist beads on his wrist - that was the relic of Su Jinli's biological mother. He had worn it on his body for a full ten years. Every bead was rubbed to a warm and shiny state, carrying his deep longing for his deceased wife.
The pomegranate tree outside the window rustled in the breeze, and a few graybirds fluttered their wings, flitting lightly past the window lattice. Su Jinli suddenly stood up slowly, the hem of her skirt gently brushing the footstool embroidered with lotus flowers. Her eyes were firm and sharp. "Dad, don't worry." She walked to the antique display case with steady steps and reached out to remove the gilded bronze abacus from its seat. The beads gently clashed in her palm, making a crisp and pleasant sound, as if playing the prelude to a counterattack. "Since they want to play tricks with fortune-telling, then I will accompany them to put on a good show."
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