Chapter 30 Advance and Retreat
"What news?"
Ling'er counted on her fingers, one by one: "Of course, it's where he's been these past few days, whether he's frequented brothels, whether he has any lovers outside, and whether he's had any secret pregnancies or other improper affairs..."
"However, time was limited, so we didn't find much information, only where he went today."
Upon hearing this, Shen Yuanzhu helplessly slapped Ling'er's forehead: "Why bother investigating these things? Why waste Luo Bai's energy?"
Mentioning her youngest son, Madam Luo smiled and said, "That boy is very idle all day long. It would be good to have him run errands for Miss."
Shen Yuanzhu wasn't interested in Xie Jingyuan's itinerary, so she waved her hand and went to take a nap on the chaise lounge.
Luo thought that as long as things went smoothly in Songjiang, the choice of the marriage partner could be easily changed.
Little did they know that it wasn't just the two of them, master and servant, who were pulling the rug out from under them; there was someone else stirring up trouble in the chaos.
Upon receiving Xie Qi's order, Wei Hu immediately dispatched the manager of Jixia Manor to visit the collateral branch of the Song family.
No one knows how the other party praised Jiang Wansu, but the next day, the Song family mentioned Jiang Wansu to Jiang Hong.
When the news was received, Jiang Wansu was still pregnant at Xie Xuchuan's estate.
Xie Xuchuan has been busy these past two days getting the child in her womb recorded in the Xie family genealogy, which has calmed Jiang Wansu's anxiety somewhat.
Her pregnancy wasn't very stable, and Zitang stayed by her side constantly.
“Miss, Xueqing sent a message saying that the First Madam asked why you haven’t returned home yet.”
Why are you suddenly asking me this?
Jiang Wansu was taken aback, and felt a little scared.
After learning of Cui Yulin's tragic death at sea, Xie Xuchuan sent someone to bring her to Xie Family Manor.
She told Madam Jiang that she was going back to her maternal home to visit her aunt, which is why she stayed at the estate for several days without returning home.
"Has something happened at home? Otherwise, why would she think of me?"
Zi Tang said, "The First Madam only has eyes for the Eldest Miss and treats the other illegitimate children in the family as nothing. It's probably not a good thing that she suddenly asked about the Eldest Miss."
Jiang Wansu nodded in a daze.
The Jiang family has many children, so good things rarely come her way.
"Miss……"
Zi Tang stammered, "Could it be that Miss's marriage has made progress?"
Upon hearing this, Jiang Wansu hurriedly touched her lower abdomen.
Zi Tang watched as her young lady's face gradually paled, but after a while, a resolute look reappeared on her face.
"Never mind."
Touching her lower abdomen, Jiang Wansu said, "If it really is a marriage, then it's quite a clever arrangement. Zitang, go and fetch the makeup box, and then..."
After a brief pause, she continued, "Get a new dress, avoid bright pink and other similar colors, choose a plain one."
If Madam Jiang really was looking for her about the marriage, then she would have an even better excuse to urge Xie Xuchuan.
After the two finished packing, they took a carriage back to the Jiang family home.
Jiang Wansu was exceptionally beautiful, but she had been unable to eat or sleep well these past few days and had suffered a severe injury, causing her to lose a lot of weight.
But she knew how to play to her strengths and avoid her weaknesses. Her simple and elegant makeup made her look like a willow swaying in the breeze, and her eyes seemed to hold unspoken words, as if she was holding back tears and anger, making her very endearing and lovable.
As soon as she returned to the Jiang family home, Jiang Hong called her over.
"Did you have a good time at your uncle's house?"
Jiang Wansu said softly, "My uncle and aunt have always treated me kindly, and my cousins are also lively and lovely. I have been very happy staying here these past few days."
Jiang Hong nodded: "That's good. Come with me to see someone."
Jiang Wansu followed behind Jiang Hong, appearing calm but actually feeling weak in the knees.
"Your mother had previously arranged a marriage for you with a nephew or niece from a branch of the Song family in Huzhou."
"The Song family is wealthy and powerful. Although she is from a collateral branch, she is the principal wife. For you, this is an excellent marriage..."
Jiang Hong spoke eloquently about the Song family's business, his desire to curry favor evident in his words.
Jiang Wansu, with a blank expression, went with Jiang Hong to meet the Song family.
Although Jiang Hong wanted to use his daughter to climb up the social ladder to the Song family, he also knew the principle of selling her off. After letting the Song family see the pitiful Jiang Wansu briefly, they sent her back to her room.
Back in her room, Jiang Wansu's plain dress was already soaked through.
"Miss, I'll go boil some water for your bath."
Jiang Wansu shook her head: "Go find Xie Xuchuan and tell him that the Jiang family and the Song family are discussing marriage..."
Jiang Wansu's fingertips trembled slightly as she recalled the way the young man had looked her over.
She initially harbored a lot of resentment towards Xie Xuchuan, but upon returning to the Jiang family, she realized that Xie Xuchuan was the only one she could rely on.
If Xie Xuchuan abandons her and the child in her womb, then she will truly have no way out but death.
Suppressing her irritation, Jiang Wansu said, "Tell him that the First Madam wants me to stay home and wait to be married, but my pregnancy is unstable and I need to take medicine to stabilize the pregnancy. Ask him to help me find a way to send the medicine to the Jiang family."
"Miss……"
Zi Tang knelt beside Jiang Wansu and whispered, "Your body can't be hidden in the Jiang family for more than a few days. It would be best to have Young Master Xie take you back to the Xie family as soon as possible."
"Miss, please don't blame me for being nosy. No matter how much you like Young Master Yulin or how much you love the child in your womb, they are not as important as you yourself."
"Instead of having this child become the legitimate son of the Xie family, you should find a way to marry into the Xie family. Young Master Xie is an upright person, and you two grew up together. After Young Master Yulin passes away, he is the only one in the world who can protect Miss."
Zi Tang turned to look at her younger sister Xue Qing, her heart filled with uncontrollable fear.
If the fact that Miss is pregnant is exposed, the first to die will be her two sisters.
When Jiang Wansu was at Xie Xuchuan's manor, she felt she still had time.
But now that the Jiang family is willing to arrange a marriage for her, seeing how attentive her father is to the Song family, he probably wishes he could send her into the arms of Young Master Song tomorrow.
Jiang Wansu pursed her lips, suppressing the pain of Cui Yulin's tragic death, and her reason gradually returned.
"Go and get the love token that Yu Lin gave me from the makeup box."
These mandarin duck pendants were originally purchased from Yuncheng by Xie Xuchuan at the request of Cui Yulin. At that time, Cui Yulin did not give Xie Xuchuan enough money, so Xie Xuchuan added more than half of it himself and bought a pair in even better condition.
Upon seeing the mandarin duck pendant, Xie Xuchuan would surely recall the years Cui Yulin had spent with him.
Jiang Wansu placed the jade pendant in Zi Tang's hand and said, "Xie Xuchuan may seem gentle, but he comes from a wealthy family and has been pampered since childhood. He is the type who responds better to gentleness than force."
“We have already pushed him too far. If he ignores us, that will be the real problem.”
"Give him this mandarin duck pendant and tell him that I have come to terms with it, that everything is fate, and that he need not worry..."
"Let's not mention those words about protecting the pregnancy again."
Zi Tang was relieved to hear this, knowing that Jiang Wansu had taken her words to heart.
For someone like Xie Xuchuan, a proud and arrogant young man who has never experienced hardship, forcing him will only make him rebellious.
Young people are most easily provoked.
Using the mandarin duck pendant to evoke his guilt, she then retreated to advance, and told him that her young lady had already accepted her fate. This would instead make him exert all his strength to help her young lady achieve her wish.
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