The first wife talked to her son for a long time and felt a little tired. She said, "You have been busy running around all day. You should rest early!"
Luo Zhenxing then remembered the purpose of his visit.
He hurriedly said, "Mom, I have something to discuss with you!"
When the first wife heard this, she immediately said seriously, "If you have anything to say, just tell me."
Luo Zhenxing smiled and said, "What do you think of Qian Ming?"
The first wife was startled.
Luo Zhenxing said, "He is 27 years old this year and has not married yet." Then he told me about buying the roast suckling pig, "... I think he is very flexible in handling things. I am afraid he will be a man of many talents in the future... Do you want me to find someone to give him a hint?"
The eldest wife immediately became interested: "You must ask clearly. If there is one in your family and then he says outside that he is not married, then our Luo family will become a laughing stock!"
"Don't worry!" Luo Zhenxing said with a smile, "I will check it carefully."
The first wife was excited as she thought about it: "This Qian Ming is really good. No one can match his cleverness. If it really works out, it will be a good marriage that comes without any effort."
She thought of the fourth uncle from the second house.
The Luo family spent a lot of money and effort, and finally got a juren...
Seeing his mother's response, Luo Zhenxing stood up with a smile and said, "Then you can take a rest! I will get back to you when I get the confirmation."
The eldest wife nodded, asked Luo Qiao to send Luo Zhenxing out, and then went back to sleep without saying anything more.
* * * * * *
Eleventh Lady tossed and turned and couldn't fall asleep. The next day, when she looked in the mirror, her face was as clean as a freshly peeled egg, without a single mark on her face.
This is the advantage of being young!
She sighed in her heart, then had breakfast and went with Wu Niang and Shi Niang to pay their respects to the eldest lady.
The eldest wife was as kind as before, with a friendly smile and a gentle tone. After talking to them for a few words, Madam Xu brought the daily accounts, and the eldest wife signaled that they could leave.
He neither asked why Shi Niang came, nor what had happened at home. It was as if time had not passed and going to Yanjing and meeting Yuan Niang were just a dream.
Apart from anything else, this ability to keep calm alone is enough to make people admire him!
Eleventh Lady sighed secretly and walked out of the door in a daze.
Wu Niang came over and took her arm, saying kindly, "Eleventh sister, what are you going to do later? How about we play chess? How about I give you ten pieces?"
"I'm going to do some needlework later." Eleventh Lady smiled and responded to Fifth Lady, "How about Fifth Sister and Tenth Sister play chess? I'll sit aside and do some needlework."
Wu Niang smiled warmly at Shi Niang and said, "Okay!"
Shi Niang raised her chin and glanced at Wu Niang, then turned back to the house with disdain.
Wu Niang murmured behind her, "Alas, I don't know what happened to Baizhi and Jiuhong. On the fifth day of the New Year when we were shopping in the outer courtyard, I took a liking to Baizhi, and the eldest wife had promised to let her go this autumn..."
Eleventh Lady saw Tenth Lady pause, then she straightened her back and walked into the west wing.
"Eleventh sister, I'm sorry to have let you down." Wu Niang smiled and said to Eleventh Sister, "I can't afford to be rejected by others even if I try to please them. I'm going back to the house." After saying that, she took Ziwei and Ziyuan back to her own residence.
"It's not our young lady who asked Miss Ten to disagree." Bin Ju, who came out to greet Miss Eleven, couldn't help but mutter under her breath and was glared at by Dong Qing.
Eleventh Lady returned to her residence with a smile, then took out needle and thread, and sat on the big kang by the window to make spring clothes for Xiu Ge.
At noon, Amber was sent to inquire about the eldest wife's situation.
Amber came back and said, "...I settled accounts with Grandma and Mother Xu for the whole day."
"Go again at dusk." Eleventh Lady was startled and said, "See if anyone comes to visit mother?"
"I see." Amber went there again at dusk, "...Mother Tao came to pay her respects to the eldest lady on the orders of the eldest aunt."
Madam Jiang didn’t come... Eleventh Lady was quite surprised, but then she was relieved.
No matter how satisfied you are in your heart, you still have to be reserved!
In the evening, she, Wu Niang and Shi Niang went to pay their respects to the eldest lady.
The eldest wife was talking to the eldest grandmother: "...No matter how precious your mother's home is, it is still your mother's home. The husband is rich and the wife is noble, so they can't take a wrong step." Seeing the three people come in, the eldest wife stopped talking.
Who are you talking about?
Eleventh Lady was confused but remained calm and greeted the First Lady.
The eldest wife was in a very good mood. Not only did she chat with them for a while, she also invited them to have dinner.
This made Shiyi Niang even more uneasy. She went back to the house and sent Amber to find out, "What did Mother Tao say?"
Amber took an embroidery pattern and pretended to give it to Shanhu, and went to the eldest wife. In less than a cup of tea, she returned.
"Miss, Miss." She looked very excited and pulled Shiyi Niang to the warm room to talk. "Shanhu said that the Marquis wants to take a concubine!"
Eleventh Lady's heart thumped: "Speak more carefully!"
She couldn't help but hold Amber's hand.
Amber took a deep breath and said, "The Marquis will bring the sixth daughter of the Qiao family into the mansion tomorrow night. The Xu family has invited several tables of wine, and also invited our master and grandmother. The eldest wife asked the grandmother to send a headgear as a gift."
Qiao Lianfang...
For some reason, the image of her sitting there quietly, her face as white and soft as a lotus, appeared in Eleventh Lady's mind.
Such a girl is going to be someone's concubine...
Instead of a festive and lively wedding, people kneel down to serve tea to the wife. Instead of a phoenix crown and a red robe, people wear a pink jacket. Instead of holding their heads high, people bend their knees in humility...
She felt mixed emotions.
This is what Yuanniang wants!
Coveting her position, this is what happens.
Eleventh Lady vaguely felt that she might be the candidate... because only in this way could Yuanniang's plan be perfect.
One was a second wife of humble origin, the other was a concubine of noble origin; the one of noble origin saw the worst side of life by the one of humble origin, which planted a seed of unrest in her heart.
Would this woman, who was inferior to me in every way, look down on me because of this? Would she use this as a handle to get whatever she wanted from me?
Who wants to live in this kind of fear!
The only way is to resist.
What's more, she has her family to support her.
If I can get that position, my family will be happy to see it happen!
And what about the one who came from a humble background?
Apart from this position, there is nothing else to rely on.
No matter for her life or dignity, she must do everything she can to keep what she has. If anyone dares to challenge her, she must use thundering means to kill him as a warning to the rest, so as to deter those who are watching from the sidelines...
If these two people are placed in the same cage, they will only fight. Not only will they fight, but they will also fight to the death... The fight will cause unrest in the family, disappoint the Madam, tire the Marquis... and make Zhun Ge safer and safer!
If there is no enemy, then cultivate one and let them restrain each other... This is the most brilliant strategy!
After figuring this out, Eleventh Lady actually felt relieved.
She had been living in such anxiety for too long... She was really afraid that the first wife would suddenly get unhappy and use her as a punching bag and marry her off casually.
That’s fine!
At least, there was a clear path ahead; at least, he still had a chance to prepare for a rainy day; at least, Xu Lingyi was a normal person with no missing limbs; at least, Xu Lingyi looked cold, dignified and difficult to get along with, but when Yuanniang was plotting against him, he did not say abusive words or look hateful; at least, Xu Lingyi was arrogant to the core - usually, such people would not be kind, but at least they would not ignore their wives and children at the critical moment of life and death...
She thought of Mrs. Jiang's searchlight-like gaze.
It's better than being dragged around by the eldest lady and being picked and criticized by others, and not even sure you'll be liked by them, right?
Is that enough?
No matter how much more she asks for, no one will give it to her!
Eleventh Lady thought with some self-mockery that she slept very soundly at night without even turning over.
* * * * * *
The next day I went to pay my respects to the first wife.
The eldest wife's face was rosy. It was obvious that she was in a very good mood. She even chatted with them with a smile: "... Spring bamboo shoots should be on the market by now! Let's ask Mother Xu to buy some and we will stir-fry pickled vegetables with them tonight."
"Lettuce should be on the market soon!" As usual, Eleventh Lady sat by and listened without commenting, while Tenth Lady had a blank expression on her face and was absent-minded. Only Fifth Lady agreed with the First Lady, "I remember that you like scrambled eggs with lettuce the most. Do you want the kitchen to make one for you?"
The eldest wife nodded and said, "I really can't get used to the taste of Chinese toon. Eleventh Lady, on the other hand, enjoyed it very much."
When Eleventh Lady mentioned her, she covered her sleeves and laughed.
A little maid came to report: "Madam, Madam Wang is here to visit."
"Madam Wang?" The eldest wife asked in confusion, "Which Madam Wang?"
"It is said that she is the wife of Lord Wang, the Governor of Fujian..." The little maid's voice lowered several beats.
The eldest wife frowned: "Please let her in!"
Wu Niang, Shi Niang and Shiyi Niang took refuge in the eldest wife's bedroom in the smaller room.
After a while, Mrs. Wang's voice came from the side room: "Madam, I didn't expect that you and Mrs. Jiang are also familiar with each other. Look, Mrs. Jiang specially asked me to come..."
Before she could finish her words, the eldest wife interrupted her: "You are such a rare guest. I was not at home when you came last time, and I thought you had gone to Fujian with Lord Wang, so I did not send anyone to greet you. I hope Madam Wang will not be offended."
However, Eleventh Lady was attracted by Mrs. Wang's words, "Mrs. Jiang specially asked me to come here."
Could it be that Madam Jiang asked Madam Wang to be the guardian of the mountain?
However, this is also possible.
Both families are Yanjing nobles, so it is normal for them to have some interactions.
As she was thinking, she heard the eldest wife say again: "Come, let's sit on the kang in the east and talk... My place is a mess!"
Obviously avoiding them.
Eleventh Lady glanced at Fifth Lady and Tenth Lady.
The two men looked calm, one sitting on the big kang by the window, and the other standing in the corner, stroking the leaves of the holly tree placed there.
People are not afraid of being schemed against by others, but they are afraid of being schemed against without knowing it.
For some reason, Eleventh Lady shuddered.
In fact, Wu Niang was able to put aside her pride and be humble, and she was also a skilled person who could step on others whenever she got the chance. But even so, once the mystery was revealed, even if she had a thousand tricks, she would probably not have the chance to use them.
Mrs. Wang did not stay long. After sending her away, the eldest lady could not hide the smile on her face. Eleventh Lady saw the foxy look in Fifth Lady's eyes.
In the afternoon, the wife of Huang Ren, the Censor of the Ministry of Justice, came to visit.
At that time, Shiyi Niang and the others all went back to their rooms. Shanhu was the one who came to tell Shiyi Niang: "...she said she came to propose marriage to Mr. Qian." As she said that, she looked at Shiyi Niang deeply.
Do you want to fight for it yourself?
Eleventh Lady thought about it, but couldn't help but smile bitterly.
If she hadn't stayed in the side room to watch the show, she might have had a chance... But now, after figuring out Yuanniang's plan, Shiyi Niang felt that she had no chance at all.
※
The evening update may take until the early morning, please don't wait... I really can't write it! -_-||| )