Chapter 550: Divorce (Part 2)
The lady listened without saying anything.
Eleventh Lady saw that it was true, and continued to persuade him, "There is no such rumor. Fang is one of the best in terms of character, appearance and upbringing. She is a good match for our Qin'er. If they really divorce, Fang will have a hard time in the future, and Qin'er may not be able to find a wife like Fang in the future. Only a fool like Fang Ji can say that 'in the future, men and women will have nothing to do with each other'. How can marriage be so simple? Moreover, this couple loves each other the most and can stick to it until the end. Why change their ways halfway?"
The lady lowered her head and took a sip of tea.
Eleventh Lady was even more certain of the Madam's intentions. She smiled and said, "Mother, how about we send someone to Huzhou to inquire about whether what Fang said is true or not. If she is full of nonsense, it shows that she is not a good person. Then we can settle the matter with the Fang family. Let's ask an expert to calculate the birth characters of Qin'er and Fang to see if they are incompatible. I heard that some women have good birth characters, but families with little luck cannot live in peace. Maybe Fang's birth characters are noble, and she is destined to marry into a royal family like our Xu family! Then I will ask Fang Ji to find out whether it is just his impulse or the Fang family has already discussed it. Mother, do you think this is okay?"
"Then let's do as you say!" The lady nodded slightly, her eyes falling on Xu Lingyi, "I'll leave the matter of going to Huzhou to investigate to you." After saying that, she took a long breath, "I'm a little tired, you guys should rest early too!" Her tone was a little disappointed.
I am a real downer.
Eleventh Lady and Xu Lingyi bowed and left.
Mother Du, who was guarding the door, hurriedly called Zhu Xiang to light a lamp and escorted the two to the gate of the courtyard before turning back.
Only then did Xu Lingyi and his wife have a chance to talk privately.
"Did Qin Ge'er really tell you that he didn't want to divorce his wife?"
Eleventh Lady said angrily, "Could I have made it up?"
Xu Lingyi looked at her and smiled, obviously not believing what she said at all.
"If you don't believe it, go ask Qin'er!" Eleventh Lady glared at him.
Xu Lingyi sighed. He slowed down his pace and walked shoulder to shoulder with Shiyi Niang on the corridor that was hung with big red lanterns.
"I originally thought that 'reading a thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles'. Qin Ge'er has lived in Shanyang for some time, and what he saw and heard along the way could help him to improve. Now it seems that this child is still not smart enough." He said slowly, "Now is not the time for them to have a quarrel and conflict, and then ask someone to say a few words to reconcile them. Now it is a dispute between two families, and he actually said such words." He looked a little disappointed.
Is that why you frown?
Eleventh Lady also slowed down her pace, and walked slowly along the winding corridor with Xu Lingyi: "If you worry too much, you will be confused. Lord Hou, don't be too harsh."
Since Xu Siyu came to Le'an, the gap between him and Xu Siqin has gradually become more obvious. I wonder if Xu Siqin has not encountered an opportunity for growth? Or did Mr. Jiang spend a lot of effort on Xu Siyu?
Seeing that Xu Lingyi was not very happy, she smiled and changed the subject: "What is mother's plan? Lord Hou, please let me know. I will be able to do something after I meet the Fang family!"
Thinking of this, she talked about Xu Siyu: "...Today is the August entrance examination. Is Yu brother going to participate?"
"We have to wait until Brother Yu returns to Anle." Xu Lingyi said, "Mr. Jiang sent me a letter a few days ago, just reminding me to pay attention to the situation in Fujian. He didn't say anything else!"
"The situation in Fujian?" Shiyi Niang was a little surprised. "What situation in Fujian?"
Xu Lingyi said softly: "Mr. Jiang thinks that personal likes and dislikes are minor, and the safety of the family is more important. The Qu family fell too quickly, which is not good for our Xu family. Let me find a way to support Jiang Yunfei."
Eleventh Lady was a little surprised: "Does the Marquis often discuss important matters of the court with Mr. Jiang?"
"It's a good idea, so we talk about it occasionally." Xu Lingyi said with a smile. He felt that it was not appropriate to talk about such a topic in this occasion, so he continued with a smile: "By the way, mother asked about Zhen Jie'er's wedding date, let's set it quickly!"
The result of the martial arts examination will be known in August. The Shao family may want to have a double happiness, so they have proposed several dates in September and October. Eleventh Lady thought that Zhen Jie'er would marry as late as possible, so she and Xu Lingyi were planning to pick a date in October. Just to show that they were holding their heads high and marrying off their daughter, they were going to wait until the matchmaker from the Shao family came to urge them again before deciding on a specific date. Now Xu Lingyi asked again, and she thought the lady had some instructions: "Which auspicious day did you choose?"
"That's not the case!" Xu Lingyi said, "Cangzhou is only five or six days away from here. We'll get married in early October, and October 12th will be the right date. They're both double dates, which is quite auspicious."
As they talked, they entered the courtyard.
Mother Gu was standing in the middle of the yard holding Jiang'er, while Xu Sicheng was talking to him.
Hearing the noise, the three looked over. Brother Jin immediately struggled to get off the ground and ran towards his parents: "Daddy, Mom!"
Xu Lingyi was afraid that he would fall, so he hurried forward to hug him, "It's so late, why aren't you asleep yet?"
Jiange'er pouted, his big eyes filled with tears, and he looked at Shiyi Niang very aggrievedly: "Mom, tell me a story!"
Xu Siyi had already stepped forward and bowed to the two of them, saying, "Sixth brother insisted that mother tell him a story, so we accompanied him to the courtyard to wait for the door."
It must be Brother Qin who was making a lot of noise and Xu Siyi was trying to coax him.
Eleventh Lady put her arm around Xu Siyi's shoulders and said, "You still have to go to school tomorrow, go to bed!"
Xu Siqi smiled, bowed and retreated.
Xu Lingyi carried Jiang'er into the house and slept between them at night, listening to Shiyi Niang telling him the story of "Chang'e Flying to the Moon".
After finally coaxing him to sleep, Xu Lingyi couldn't help but gently touch his son's head: "When he was little, he wouldn't sleep with you if you asked him to. Now that he's grown up, he sleeps with us instead."
Eleventh Lady smiled and blew out the lights: "I was ignorant when I was little! Now that I'm grown up, I naturally want to stick to my parents..." As she spoke, she felt a pair of hands reaching out to her restlessly.
She quickly grabbed that hand and said, "No, there is a child..." Her voice was low and a little embarrassed.
Xu Lingyi turned over and lay down next to Shiyi Niang: "The weather is getting hotter and hotter. Jin Ge'er is afraid of the heat, let him sleep inside!"
"Excuse!" Eleventh Lady pushed his hand away.
Xu Lingyi asked back: "Do I still need to make excuses?"
Eleventh Lady couldn't help laughing.
Xu Lingyi whispered to her: "Get Jian'er to bed early tomorrow!"
Early the next morning, the third wife came to pay her respects to the old lady, but the old lady and the second wife had gone to the Qintian Palace before daybreak.
Eleventh Lady sat with her in the flower hall.
Compared to yesterday, she looked very haggard and spoke absentmindedly.
Shiyi Niang saw that she was in a bad condition, so she asked Xingjiao to accompany her back to the room to rest: "...There are people cleaning up there all the time, just change the bed and put in clean bedding."
The Third Lady did not refuse her suggestion. Served by Zhu Xiang, she and Xing Jiao returned to the courtyard where she used to live.
Eleventh Lady had just stopped Xu Siyu who came to greet him: "Yesterday, Fang Tanhua came to visit your father..." She told Xu Siyu the purpose of Fang Ji's visit, "Your father is an elder, and some questions are difficult to ask. He must be busy visiting teachers and fellow students these two days. Please help me go to Minister Liu's courtyard and invite Fang Tanhua to come over and say a few words."
Xu Siyu was stunned, and it took him a while to come back to his senses. He replied respectfully, "Yes," and then couldn't help asking her, "What did my brother say?"
I will never divorce my wife!
Although he showed his attitude and explained to his wife, he went against his mother's wishes.
Eleventh Lady felt that she shouldn't tell Xu Siyu this: "You should also take some time to visit Qin Ge'er and give him some advice."
Xu Siyu responded and left, and Mother Song walked in.
"Madam, I heard some bad news, and I don't know if it's true or not." She whispered to Eleventh Lady, "Xingjiao said that the Third Master suddenly came back from Shanyang early this morning. He also brought back his official uniform and sedan chair."
No wonder the third lady came a little late.
Looking at this, I'm afraid something is not going well - if he was promoted, why would the Third Master and the Third Madam be so silent! If he wasn't promoted, and brought back the official uniform and sedan chair that represent his status... Does that mean he doesn't need to go?
Thinking of this, Shiyi Niang couldn't help sweating.
If you are not from the same family, you will not marry someone. If he really quit his job, can hiding in Sanjing Hutong solve the problem?
Eleventh Lady instructed Mother Song: "There are some newly-released cherries and white peaches coming from the palace. Bring some with you and go see the eldest young lady. Then pay attention to see if the third master is in the room."
Mother Song's face was full of surprise. It took her a long time to close her lips and answer "yes".
But before two cups of tea had passed, Mother Song came back and said, "Master Hou and Master San are talking in the outer study!"
In this case, I have wronged the Third Master.
"Go and have a look, and try to find out why the Third Master came back to Yanjing!"
Mother Song bowed and retreated.
Eleventh Lady lay on the kang, thinking for a long time.
Mother Song ran into the main courtyard with a somewhat panicked look on her face.
"Madam, I have found out everything." She said hurriedly, "It is said that the Third Master lent money to others and was impeached. The higher-ups asked the Third Master to resign for the sake of Lord Hou and Mr. Jiang. So the Third Master resigned and came back!
The loan sharking business was reported!
Eleventh Lady felt that the Third Master had always been cautious and would never do anything that would affect the reputation of his direct subordinates and might cause him to lose his job.
She thought of the Third Lady...
Just when I was wondering whether I should go to the Third Madam to get some information, the Dowager Madam and the Second Madam came back.
Eleventh Lady hurriedly informed the Third Lady, and the two of them went to the hanging flower gate to greet them.
When the old lady saw the third lady, she said lightly, "Come here."
The third lady hurried forward to help the old lady onto the small oil cart with green curtains, but the old lady put her hand on the second lady's shoulder and was helped by the second lady to get on the cart.