Chapter 103 Marriage
Second Aunt was the first to spot Chunwen in the carriage. She rushed over and, upon seeing Chunwen sitting inside, burst into tears.
"Why are you back, you silly girl? Waaah... Don't you know? Your parents, brothers, and sisters are all gone... Waaah..."
Auntie choked up and couldn't continue speaking. Uncle Chunwen quickly followed, also sobbing uncontrollably.
"What do you mean 'gone,' what ...'?!"
Chunwen hysterically grabbed her second uncle's sleeve, her eyes wide with fear.
"Seven days ago, there was a huge fire at night, and your parents..."
The townspeople gathered around and spontaneously explained what had happened. Chunwen's hand suddenly loosened its grip.
Seven days ago, seven days ago, was the day of the palace banquet.
At night... wasn't that the night she and Caihe spent in the Shenxing Division?
What a coincidence!
Unfortunately, a fire broke out that very day, and not a single person managed to escape.
For some reason, she thought of Mu Jin's family, who had already been expelled from the Xiao family mansion.
I heard that Mu Jin's parents were also injured or disabled.
She and Mu Jin used to work for that one person!
Only she could be so ruthless as to nip problems in the bud and eliminate them completely to prevent future troubles!
The few coffins seemed like a silent accusation, or a mockery of Chunwen's overestimation of her abilities, passing by the carriage without even stopping.
Chunwen was already sold into slavery as a daughter. Even though money was often sent over in the past, she was no longer registered in the household register, so naturally she could not be allowed to help with the coffin.
Her remaining relatives noticed something was wrong with her; this was not the way she was returning home in glory. At this moment, they had no time for reminiscing; the deceased was the most important person, and they could not miss the funeral procession.
"Sister Bihui, I was wrong, I was really wrong..."
Chunwen's hand fell limply to her side.
Bi Sui saw this and only then did she understand why the girl never felt happy about this kind of retribution.
She's not feeling good either.
The girl sent Mu Jin to investigate Chunwen's family's plight after Mu Jin recounted her story.
Originally, it was just a precaution to see if there was still time to save them, but they were ultimately too late.
Now that Chunwen has witnessed it with her own eyes, she feels a tightness in her chest.
The fourth young lady is so young, yet she already understands the principle of eliminating all enemies once and for all. If the young lady were to fall into her hands... Bi Sui dared not imagine what fate awaited them.
Thinking of this, she became even more determined to protect the girl.
It's either a case of being at the mercy of others, or being at the mercy of others. Since we can't coexist peacefully, it's a fight to the death, with the winner taking all.
Several hours later.
When the demotion document arrived at the Xiao residence, Xiao Jue was halfway through applying medicine when he staggered out to receive the decree, his face ashen.
"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Xiao Jue, the Junior Chamberlain, is ignorant of etiquette, negligent and careless, and does not respect the proper conduct. Therefore, he is temporarily relieved of his original post and demoted to the fifth-rank position of Junior Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies. It is hoped that he will sincerely repent in the future."
The pale-faced, beardless eunuch, with a businesslike smile, closed the imperial edict and handed it forward, saying:
"Young Master Xiao, please accept the imperial decree."
Xiao Jue's lips were pale, and through the imperial edict, he seemed to see the expressions of the emperor and the crown prince.
The accusations of neglecting etiquette and being negligent are clearly unfounded; it was the Dai family who led the impeachment against him, forcing the Emperor and the Crown Prince to punish him.
He was the top scholar in the imperial examination the year before last, and in just two years he rose from a fifth-rank lecturer to a fourth-rank junior master of the house. He was about to be sent out to serve as an official and then return to a higher position. However, he never expected that a mere marriage dispute would send him back to the fifth rank.
"Your Majesty, I receive the imperial decree—"
He held the imperial edict with its black background and gold patterns, his heart filled with sorrow.
"Young Master Xiao, I have important matters to attend to and cannot stay any longer. I will take my leave now."
The young eunuch was used to changing his stance depending on the wind. In the ups and downs of officialdom, there are always those who are successful and those who are unsuccessful. He didn't like doing this demotion job in the first place. Not only would he not get any reward, but he would also get into trouble for no reason. So it was better for him to leave as soon as possible.
Xiao Jue stood there silently, as if he hadn't heard a thing.
Only now has he come to his senses what he has done.
But he doesn't regret it.
If this promotion, which he had painstakingly planned for two years, could prevent him from becoming an ill-fated couple with the Dai family girl and causing him to miss out on Yuyao, he would not regret it.
He's still young; he'll only be twenty-two next year.
Since that's the case, he's even more determined to marry Yuyao.
An urgent letter was delivered from the capital to the Xiao family's old residence in Jiangnan by waterway.
Madam Xiao was over seventy years old, with a full head of white hair and a frail appearance. She needed Western glasses to see what her eldest grandson was writing.
"Jue-ge'er is going to marry Yu-yao?!"
"This won't do, this won't do! They're siblings, how can they get married?"
"Our ancestor is truly forgetful! Yuyao is no longer a biological daughter of the Xiao family. The two children are not related by blood, so they can get married."
A woman dressed in a dark brown jacket laughed from the side.
"Yuyao is not a girl from the Xiao family..."
Old Madam Xiao was probably getting old, and her mind wasn't as sharp as it used to be. It took her quite a while to remember the matter.
"Oh...that's true. How old is Yuyao this year?"
The woman was a daughter-in-law from a collateral branch of the Xiao family, surnamed Chu. She often came to the old house to serve and take care of Old Madam Xiao. Upon hearing this, she patiently explained:
"Yuyao and Yuxuan were both born in the twelfth lunar month. In another six months or so, after the New Year, they will be of marriageable age."
"Oh...the child is all grown up now, it's time to discuss marriage."
Lady Chu hesitated for a moment, but ultimately did not reveal that Jue-ge'er was already engaged.
Since Xiao Jue has already written to Old Madam Xiao, it seems that the previous marriage with the Dai family has been called off.
"Then let Jue-ge'er and Yu-yao get married! I support it!"
Madam Xiao's words were startling, and Madam Chu quickly stopped her, fearing she was about to write a reply:
"Grand Ancestor, what exactly did Jue-ge write? Isn't your decision too hasty?"
She felt uneasy, sensing that something was wrong.
The Xiao family in the capital, aside from sending letters with a large sum of money during festivals, had never sent a letter like this before, especially from Jue-ge, the most promising member of the clan…
Is it true that Jue-ge'er is going to marry Yu-yao?
Even when someone pulled her back, Madam Xiao wasn't angry; one could still vaguely see the dignity and poise she had possessed in her youth in her features.
“Jue-ge’er has never asked me, his grandmother, for anything. Since he and Yu-yao are in love, I’m happy to see it happen. Why is it so rushed?”
She was much more sober now and spoke several sentences clearly.
"What our ancestors said is true..."
Lady Chu came from a humble background and was usually somewhat afraid of her. Although she felt something was amiss, she didn't dare to say anything more.
She had seen Xiao Yuyao once before, from afar. Apart from her youngest son Xiao Su and eldest grandson Xiao Jue, Xiao Yuyao was the child that Old Madam Xiao loved the most.
If it were just a matter of turning her from her own daughter into her own granddaughter-in-law, Old Madam Xiao would definitely be more than willing.
So why is she still giving me this advice?
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