Upon returning to the North Courtyard, Hongliu and Qingzao, who had stayed behind, greeted her together. Hongliu said first, "Miss, Miss Xiao came to see you."
"They left again when they saw the girl wasn't there," Qingzao replied.
“Her eyes were red, as if she had been crying,” Hongliu added.
"The maid she brought was so fierce; she even glared at us before she left," Qingzao added.
The two little girls sang back and forth, and Xu Rong listened and nodded.
Judging from the looks of it, she must have been upset somewhere. It's very likely Madam Xiao; before she left, she offered to pass on a message, and it probably wasn't very polite.
Xiao Xin hadn't even entered the east side room when he heard it, and turned his head to say, "Don't pay any attention to her."
Xu Rong already knew about the Xiao family's past. Although Madam Xu did not go into detail about how Concubine Ruan and Madam Wei got along after she entered the family—the struggles between the concubines in the inner courtyard of the detached house were not within her purview as the mistress of the house, and she could tell that they would not get along.
After falling out of favor, Lady Wei, who had a face so similar to Consort Ruan and had just given birth to a son, was bound to be disliked by Consort Ruan.
Not only did she find her displeasing, but Madam Xu also pointed out that Concubine Ruan was a "formidable" person, and it was hard to say whether Madam Wei could even survive a single round under her.
Xu Rong thought it over in her mind, but didn't show it on her face: "Okay, I understand, I'll ignore her."
Xiao Xin didn't leave immediately, but further warned, "You don't know, she plays with Qi'er from the second wife's family, and Qi'er always suffers at her hands."
Xu Rong had never heard him talk about such mundane family matters before, and asked with curiosity, "Oh? What loss did you suffer?"
“She thinks that because she is the eldest daughter of the Marquis’s family and Qi’er is from the second branch of the family, she is inferior to her in status and wants to be superior to Qi’er in everything.” Xiao Xin frowned. “When she can’t be superior, she gets unhappy and feels that others look down on her because she is born out of wedlock.”
Xu Rong understood. In terms of birth, Xiao Shan, being the biological daughter of Lord Xiao, was indeed slightly better, but she wasn't perfect—being born out of wedlock was a label that couldn't be removed. Her inferiority complex gave rise to extreme arrogance, making things difficult for herself and others.
She nodded: "No matter what tricks she has up her sleeve, I'll just stay away from her."
Xiao Xin then turned and went inside.
The maids exchanged glances, and Xin Cheng couldn't help but laugh happily, "The second young master is quite concerned about the young lady, afraid that she might suffer a loss."
Bai Fu smiled slightly as well.
Xu Rong let the maids tease her, but she remained unfazed—they didn't understand that she and Xiao Xin had a deep working relationship, and it was perfectly normal for them to offer each other advice. She said, "Am I the kind of person who would suffer a loss?"
The four maids immediately shook their heads in unison.
Hongliu was the first to praise, simple and sincere: "No matter how capable that Miss Xiao is, she can't be as capable as our girl."
Xin Cheng continued, "Her attempt to scheme against the girl is like showing off her limited skills before an expert."
Just because someone used an idiom doesn't mean it's simple.
Bai Fu opened her mouth: "Miss—"
Xu Rong laughed upon hearing this and waved her hand to stop them: "Alright, stop arguing. The Second Young Master is studying. Let's go over there."
The maids obediently fell silent. Bai Fu followed them to the bedroom, and after Xu Rong sat down and removed her hairpins, she quietly asked again, "Miss, shouldn't we invite the Second Young Master over tonight?"
For two nights in a row, Xiao Xin had been sleeping in the east side room. Although there seemed to be no problem in their daily interactions, the fact that they were separated so soon after their marriage made people feel uneasy.
Xu Rong thought about it and agreed, but she still subconsciously wanted to delay, so she said, "Let's wait until tomorrow. I'll talk to the Second Young Master tomorrow."
Bai Fu was satisfied with the confirmation, nodded, and resumed her work with peace of mind and meticulous attention to detail.
**
They rested for the night with nothing to do, and the next morning, Xu Rong and Xiao Xin went to pay their respects to Madam Xiao as usual.
This was the biggest change for her after marrying into the Changxing Marquis's mansion. Before, Madam Xu didn't have such strict rules. She only had one son and one daughter, both of whom were her own, and as long as things were generally acceptable, that was enough.
Xu Rong didn't mind. She got bored staying in the courtyard every day, and she was too lazy to go out for a stroll. Taking a walk around the mansion was just right.
Because the North Courtyard was remote, she had to walk through most of the mansion on her way there. With Xiao Xin's guidance, she gradually recognized all of them, including Madam Wei's Li Courtyard, Aunt Ruan's Luomei Residence, and Xiao Shan's Qingqiu Courtyard.
When they arrived at the main courtyard, it was neither too early nor too late—meaning that Chang Shuyin had already arrived, but Xiao Shan and Xiao Yi had not yet.
Madam Xiao was busy, so they waited in the courtyard for a while. Xiao Shan arrived in a hurry with her maid, just as Madam Xiao ordered someone to call her in.
Upon entering, they saw Madam Xiao sitting by the south window, her hands seemingly just washed, which Chang Shuyin was wiping. Hearing the commotion, Madam Xiao raised her eyelids, ignoring Xu Rong and Xiao Xin who were walking ahead, and ordered, "Is the maidservant with the eldest young lady outside? Give her ten slaps on the hand. If she doesn't serve her mistress properly tomorrow and wakes her on time, give her twenty slaps."
Xu Rong was taken aback, and Xiao Shan hurriedly said, "Madam, Yi Ge'er is sick. I was helping my aunt take care of him, and I slept in late so I couldn't get up. It has nothing to do with my maid."
“Then you should have asked for leave in advance.” Madam Xiao remained unmoved. “If you asked for leave, it’s fine if you don’t come. But not asking is disrespectful. Eldest daughter, it’s one thing for you to be lazy at home now, I won’t hold it against you, but if you continue like this after you leave home, how can that be acceptable?”
As she spoke, she glanced at Xu Rong and said, "Let's not even talk about your eldest sister-in-law. Even your second sister-in-law came on time during her wedding. Compare them and see if you can pass muster."
Xu Rong: "..."
Well.
She didn't feel praised; instead, she sensed a divisive intent.
The sounds of slapping on a hand and the girl's suppressed gasps soon rang out from outside the window.
Fortunately, ten slaps weren't too many, and they were finished and stopped after a while.
Xiao Shan's eyes were already red, and she looked like she was about to choke with anger.
Madam Xiao ignored him and asked again, "What's wrong with Yi-ge'er now? We summoned the imperial physician yesterday. Didn't he say he was better after taking the medicine and sweating it out?"
Xiao Shan suppressed her anger and said, "--It was better in the afternoon, but it started to come back again at night. Father and Aunt are very worried."
Madam Xiao continued, "Has the imperial physician arrived yet?"
To be honest, Xu Rong strongly suspected that Madam Xiao was asking a question she already knew the answer to. As far as she could tell, Madam Xiao had received intelligence yesterday, so she wouldn't have missed it today—Xiao Yi's illness flared up again in the middle of the night, causing Xiao Shan, who didn't live with them, to rush over to see him. The commotion was bound to be significant.
Xiao Shan said, "Father has already sent someone to invite the imperial physician, who prescribed another medicine. After drinking it, Yi-ge'er fell asleep again."
Madam Xiao nodded: "That's fine then."
So far, everything was normal. Whether Madam Xiao was asking knowingly or not, as the legal mother, she had the right to inquire about the situation of her illegitimate son. Xu Rong hadn't paid much attention to it, but Madam Xiao's words hadn't stopped.
“Yi-ge’er is too proud for his age.” Madam Xiao’s tone was neither too light nor too heavy. “Isn’t it just that the teacher the Marquis took him to see refused to accept him? The capital is so big, there are plenty of other teachers. Why make yourself sick from this?”
Xu Rong focused instantly—what?
Xiao Shan also showed surprise at first, clearly unaware that this matter had not escaped Madam Xiao's notice, before hurriedly explaining, "Madam, it's not that he refused to accept it; Mr. Su simply said he needed to consider it—"
As she spoke, she couldn't help but glance at Xu Rong again, as if she was trying hard not to show weakness.
Xu Rong didn't have time to look at her, as she was busy pondering her own thoughts.
Madam Xiao sneered, "Enough. Yi-ge'er even shouted it in his sleep, constantly complaining about being unconvinced and unwilling to accept it. Do you really need to cover for him? In my opinion, if someone is unwilling, then so be it. There's no reason to force someone to become your apprentice. If you try to intimidate them with your power, it will only make things worse. Go back and tell your aunt to stop flattering the Marquis. Don't ruin the Xiao family's reputation. When those scholars get angry and start criticizing people, they don't care about your noble or marquis family. They'd love to use you to tarnish their own reputation."
After finishing her long speech, Madam Xiao was still not satisfied. Ignoring Xiao Shan's expression, she took a sip of tea and continued, "And you, a young lady should know that chastity and tranquility are the most important things. I had someone tell you yesterday that being too cunning is not a good thing."
Xiao Shan sobbed, tears finally falling. She hastily curtsied to Madam Xiao, then turned and ran out.
Madam Xiao said coldly, "Look at her. She's been spoiled rotten by her concubine."
Her words were not explicitly directed at anyone, and the room fell silent for a moment before Chang Shuyin, who was standing beside her, softly replied, "The eldest young lady has been raised by Aunt Ruan's side for a long time, so she is inevitably a bit spoiled. Her mother should discipline her more."
"If anyone dares to interfere with her, I'll say a few words and the Marquis will be there to protect her."
As Madam Xiao spoke, her expression became more pleased. After finding fault with Xiao Shan, she was not in a bad mood.
One person's firepower is limited; there's always a buildup time before another can be fired. Madam Xiao glanced at Xu Rong and Xiao Xin, disliking them both, but too lazy to pick a fight with them. She waved her hand and said, "Don't learn from Shan'er. Coming from a prominent family, the most important thing is to know the proper etiquette. Alright, go."
The two withdrew. Xu Rong turned around impatiently: "Second Young Master—"
"Waaah..."
Sobbing could be heard.
It turned out that Xiao Shan hadn't gone far. She couldn't walk any further as soon as she left the hospital. She asked the maid to help her up and leaned against the wall, sobbing uncontrollably.
Upon seeing them, she paused briefly, then glared at them with eyes full of tears.
Thanks to Madam Xu, Xu Rong was immune to tears and was basically unaffected.
She nodded politely, and as Xiao Xin, who was even more indifferent, was about to leave, Xiao Shan chased after her and spoke up: "Second sister-in-law, do you look down on me just like them?"
Xu Rong didn't know who "they" were, nor did she ask. She paused and said, "What makes you say that, young lady? There's nothing to it."
Xiao Shan cried again: "You clearly did. You look down on me because I'm born out of wedlock, and you disdain to associate with me. If you just didn't want to, you should have said so. I wouldn't bother you anymore. Why did you have to plot against me in front of Madam? Waaah..."
She made a commotion, and gradually some maids in the courtyard peeked out to look.
Xu Rong denied it: "You're overthinking it. In my opinion, whether someone is born of the principal wife or a concubine has never been a big deal."
She casually used someone close to her as an example, "Take the second young master, for instance. Since I married into the family, I have seen him studying diligently day and night. I have nothing but respect for him. A person's character and will are only related to himself. How much does his background have to do with it? Young lady, if you insist on saying that, then you are probably looking down on yourself."
Xiao Shan's tears wouldn't fall, and she asked hesitantly, "Then...then why did you tell Madam I was looking for you—"
Xu Rong smiled: "My wife asked me, how could I not answer?"
Xiao Shan was stunned.
Xu Rong didn't have time to talk to her anymore. She tugged at Xiao Xin's sleeve, signaling him to hurry up and leave.
After navigating the alley, she quickly stopped and turned around: "Second Young Master, is the family's education really that bad?"
Regardless of Xiao Shan's intentions, her assessment of the family's education should be correct. That's why Lord Xiao, out of love for his youngest son, wanted to choose another renowned teacher.
Xiao Xin withdrew his gaze from the sleeve she had touched—he didn't know why he had to pay attention to it—and nodded: "It's quite a commotion, and the master doesn't dare to do much about it."
This is not hard to understand. Those who can study at the Xiao family's private school are either sons of noble families or relatives of noble families. As a teacher, how can he control any of them? It would be good enough if he could keep them from causing trouble and just let them get by.
Therefore, Xiao Xin now only stays in his room to study and no longer goes to the home school.
Having made up his mind, Xu Rong went straight to the point and asked, "Second Young Master, would you like to become Mr. Su's apprentice?"
Xiao Xin: "..."
His expression was strange; it was a mixture of anticipation and surprise, longing and hesitation—a complex mix of emotions.
Xu Rong pondered for a moment but couldn't figure it out, so he urged him, "Second Young Master, just tell me if you want to or not. If you do, we'll go right away."
Her words were resolute, and Xiao Xin, influenced by her attitude, blurted out, "I want to, but—"
"No buts. Let's go, tell Madam Xiao we're going out now."
Seeing that Xiao Xin still didn't move, Xu Rong grabbed his arm and pulled him back, saying, "Second Young Master, you can't hesitate. This opportunity may not come again if you miss it. You can't find another one like this.
She clearly remembered what Xiao Yi and Xiao Shan had said in turn, and that Lord Xiao had gone to the door first before returning to take Xiao Yi there. With such repeated verification, it was clear that there was no mistake.
Xiao Shan had previously accused her of "scheming," and now she really intends to scheme against him and snatch this good man away.
Xiao Xin told her to hold on, but she struggled. Seeing that she was moving quickly and it was difficult to break free, he was afraid that he might not be able to control his strength and cause her to fall. In desperation, he could only say, "No, it's just that I'm not ready yet—"
"By the time you're ready, Lord Xiao will have some free time too." Xu Rong turned around. "Second Young Master, no one in this family cares about you, so you have to think about yourself. Whether it works out or not, let's give it a try first, okay?"
Her eyes were incredibly bright, and there was a slight sheen of sweat on her forehead—it was from the strain caused by his lack of cooperation. Xiao Xin looked on, lost in thought, and said, "No."
Xu Rong felt that pulling him along was no longer difficult, so she continued walking forward, her attention diverted: "What?"
She turned her head, and Xiao Xin couldn't see her face. His gaze fell down and he saw her fingers pressing on his arm.
Fine and white yet resolute. A force different from its appearance.
He wasn't the only one thinking of himself.
Now someone has come up with a solution for him.
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