Chunhe stepped forward to comfort Xie.
"Madam, don't be angry. The Sixth Young Master has had his own ideas since he was young. Since he doesn't want to marry a girl from the Xie family, then let him do what he wants. Don't force him."
Mrs. Xie was furious. "Have I ever forced him? Would I dare to force him? I never intended for him to marry a girl from the Xie family. But no matter how bad the Xie family is, it's still his uncle's family. Look at his attitude. He wants to sever all ties with the Xie family."
"Madam, calm down and have some tea first."
Chunhe brought a teacup and placed it next to Xie's hand.
Mrs. Xie had no mood to drink tea. She was full of anger at the moment.
"I worked so hard on their behalf, but none of them appreciated it. Not only did they blame me, both openly and covertly, as if I were some muddle-headed old woman. It's infuriating."
Xie gritted her teeth, feeling very bitter.
Being misunderstood and not understood by her son made her feel more uncomfortable than fighting with others.
Xie knew full well that back in the Northwest, Gu Cheng had become estranged from her because of the Pei Yun incident. Nothing could go back to the way it was.
Xie sighed repeatedly, but there was nothing she could do.
Chun He added, "The Sixth Young Master is not young anymore, it's time to plan his marriage early."
Xie frowned, "Of course I know. But where can I find the right person now?"
Xie was worried. She had just returned to the capital and hadn't even explored the area yet, let alone sorted out the relationships with all parties in the capital.
The children's marriages cannot be delayed, and the relationship with the Marquis' Mansion is indispensable.
Xie thought for a moment and said to Chunhe, "Please go to the neighboring Marquis' Mansion and see the eldest lady for me. Ask her if there's any news from the Haixi Marquis' Mansion? When can we meet?"
Chun He bowed and accepted the order, "Don't worry, Madam. I will go to the Marquis' Mansion to see the Madam right away."
Chunhe is busy and won't be back for a while.
Mrs. Xie leaned back on the couch and closed her eyes to rest.
She didn't even know Lord Gu had come in.
Sensing someone around, she suddenly opened her eyes and patted her chest, looking extremely frightened. "The master is here. The maids are becoming more and more unreasonable. They didn't even bother to inform us."
Lord Gu said, "Don't blame them. It was me who didn't let them report it."
Xie smiled and said, "I'm sorry to have made you laugh, Master. I don't know what happened, I fell asleep while sitting."
Master Gu said, "If you are tired, take a good rest."
Mrs. Xie stared at Master Gu. "Master, why are you back so early? Didn't you say you were going to drink with your classmates tonight?"
Lord Gu said, "They all have things to do in the government office. We have an appointment to meet at the restaurant later."
I see.
Xie heaved a sigh of relief and asked, "Have you finished your errand, Master?"
Lord Gu nodded, "I will meet the emperor the day after tomorrow. After that, I will officially take office."
Xie was excited. "Master is going to the palace to meet the emperor. What preparations should he make?"
"Don't worry, Gu Quan has already taken care of all the necessary preparations."
Mrs. Xie laughed and said, "Master has been promoted, which is a great thing. Why don't we prepare a few tables for a banquet some other day and invite everyone from the Marquis' Mansion to come and have a great time."
Lord Gu thought about it and finally nodded in agreement, "You will handle this matter. However, please wait until I officially take office before sending the invitation."
Xie was immediately delighted. "Master, don't worry. I will definitely take care of this matter properly. Why don't you draw up a list first, and I will prepare the invitations according to your list."
Lord Gu laughed and said, "Don't worry. I'll have Gu Quan bring you the list someday."
After a pause, Master Gu asked again, "Your sister-in-law from your mother's family came over today. Is there something wrong?"
"Just came to see me." Xie pursed her lips and smiled.
Master Gu raised an eyebrow, "Nothing else?"
Xie lowered her head, rolled her eyes left and right a few times, and then said, "My eldest sister-in-law wanted to marry us, but I didn't agree."
Lord Gu was silent.
Xie suddenly became anxious. "Please believe me, Master. I really didn't agree." I rejected my sister-in-law on the spot and made it clear.
Back then, my eldest brother did something dishonest and harmed the master. I will never compromise no matter what. I will always stand on the master's side.
Besides, I also hope that my husband will be honored and my wife will be glorious, so how can I let my elder brother manipulate me at will?"
Master Gu remained calm and asked, "Did your sister-in-law say anything else?"
Xie was not sure whether there were any spies of Lord Gu around her.
If there was, I'm afraid Lord Gu would have already known everything about her conversation with Ma.
Even without spies, Lord Gu would not be unable to find out the content of her conversation with Ma.
Soon, Xie made up his mind.
Xie said, "My eldest sister-in-law has some crazy ideas. She wants her eldest son to marry the fourth daughter of the Marquis's Mansion."
Lord Gu frowned, "If I remember correctly, the fourth young lady of the Marquis's Mansion is a concubine's daughter."
Mrs. Xie nodded, "She is a concubine's daughter. Miss Gu Qin, raised by the Madam since she was young, is a very talented person."
Master Gu laughed and said, "Your elder brother really thinks long-term and has a big heart."
"Brother is not having a good time now." Xie said weakly.
Master Gu snorted coldly, "Whether he's having a good life or not, you don't need to worry about it. Just remember, you are Gu Xie, you have to think about your children."
Xie nodded repeatedly, "I will obey you, Master. Speaking of the children's marriages, do you remember the Haixi Marquis' Mansion that I mentioned last time?"
"What happened again?"
Xie pondered for a moment and whispered, "I went to see my eldest sister-in-law today and asked her for some news about the Haixi Marquis's mansion. Haixi Marquis is deeply favored by the emperor and is one of the few people who can have a say around the emperor.
He still has two unengaged sons, and besides the one born out of wedlock, his second legitimate son is also unengaged."
Lord Gu stared at Xie, he knew Xie well. Xie's mention of this must have had a deeper meaning.
Xie persuaded Lord Gu, "The master has just returned to the capital, and it is time to expand his network. If he can have a relative like the Haixi Marquis's who can speak with His Majesty, it will definitely be of great help to the master's career.
However, Zhen is a concubine's daughter, and the man she is marrying is also a concubine's son. Doesn't this make the marriage seem a little less important? If it were Haixi Bo's legitimate second son, the importance would be much greater, and Haixi Bo would also attach more importance to our in-laws.
Lord Gu frowned, "You want Zhen to marry Haixibo's second son?"
"Zhen's influence is not enough, it will definitely not work, and it will also offend Hai Xibo. My suggestion is to let Yue'er replace Zhen's daughter and propose marriage to Hai Xibo's second son. Master, do you think this is a good idea?"
Xie's heart was beating like a drum. She was nervous and uneasy, afraid that Master Gu would oppose her proposal.
At the same time, she held on to a glimmer of hope.
The Haixi Marquis's Mansion was a first-class family, and one of the few that could have a say in His Majesty's presence. It was impossible for Lord Gu not to be tempted.
But will Lord Gu support her plan?
If she doesn't get Lord Gu's support, her plan will basically fail.
It is not her turn to decide the children's marriage alone.
Lord Gu was silent for a long time before he spoke: "If the second son of the Haixi Marquis's Mansion is really as good as you say, then why isn't the Marquis' Mansion interested when so many girls in the Marquis' Mansion are still unengaged?"
Xie was speechless. "Perhaps Madam Haixi loves her son so much that she wants to be very selective."
"Since they are so selective, why don't they choose a girl from the Marquis' Mansion, but choose a girl from our family? Do you think it's possible?"
Xie frowned, "Did the master hear something?"
Lord Gu had a serious face. "I've been busy with official duties lately and haven't deliberately inquired about the affairs of the Haixi Marquis's Mansion. However, I think you're taking things for granted regarding the so-called Haixi Marquis's second son. It would be best to send someone out to find out why this Haixi Marquis's second son hasn't been engaged yet, and whether he has some unspeakable secrets."
Xie frowned and lowered her head. Could it be that the eldest wife, Zhang, was deceiving her and deliberately luring her into a trap?
Thinking over what the eldest wife Zhang said, there seemed to be no problem.
Then, Xie said, "Master is indeed very thoughtful. It is I who have taken things for granted. Tomorrow I will send someone out to inquire about the news from the Haixi Marquis's Mansion. If there is no problem with Haixi Marquis's second son, will Master agree to let Yue'er marry into the Haixi Marquis's Mansion?"
Lord Gu chuckled softly, "Whether I agree or not is not important. What matters is whether Hai Xibo is interested in my Yue'er."
Mrs. Xie was a little embarrassed and unhappy. She weakly defended herself, "Yue'er is fine."
But Master Gu said, "Whether Yue'er is good or not, we don't have the final say. It depends on others. In short, don't rush into making a decision on this matter. This concerns the children's marriage, so be cautious."
Mrs. Xie nodded, "I will obey Master. So, does Master have any plans for the second girl's marriage?"
Speaking of Gu Jiu's marriage, Lord Gu frowned subconsciously.
"Don't rush the second girl's marriage, let's wait until the new year begins."
Xie calmly reminded Master Gu, "The second girl is half a year older than Yue'er and will be coming of age next year. A girl's youth cannot be wasted."
"I will keep this matter in mind. For now, let's settle Zhen's marriage."
Gu checked the time and saw it was already late. So he stood up and left. He had plans to meet up with some classmates tonight for drinks and to bond, so he couldn't be late.
As soon as Lord Gu left, Xie called Gao Sanfu and asked him to go out and inquire about the affairs of the Haixi Earl's Mansion, especially the Haixi Earl's second son.
Gao Sanfu took the order and left.
When it was almost dark, Chunhe came back from the marquis's mansion next door.
"Madam, the eldest lady of the Marquisate said not to worry for now. She will send someone to inform you when she finds an opportunity."
Xie said, "There's no need to look for another opportunity. The mansion will host a banquet in a few days to congratulate the master on his promotion. When the time comes, please ask the eldest lady to send an invitation to the Haixi Marquis's residence and invite them to be our guests."
"What if Haixibo Mansion refuses to come? What should we do?"
"If you are unwilling to come to the banquet, then we can find another suitable opportunity to meet."
Chun He agreed, "It's getting late now. I'll go see the Madam of the Marquisate tomorrow."
…
The next day, Gao Sanfu heard the news about Haixibo Mansion.
It’s not that Gao Sanfu is very capable, but the news about Haixibo Mansion has already spread to everyone.
That is, Xie and Mr. and Mrs. Gu had just returned to the capital and were busy with a lot of things, so they didn't know about it.
Gao Sanfu bowed and stood before Madam Xie, "Madam, I have heard some news about the second son of the Marquis of Haixi."
Xie was immediately excited when she heard this. "Tell me quickly, what's going on?"
Gao Sanfu said hurriedly, "Haixibo's second son is twenty-one years old. The reason he hasn't married yet is because it is rumored that he has a bad temper and is also known to be unlucky in marriage.
"What? A wife-killer?"
Xie's eyes widened, as if she had heard something incredible.
Gao Sanfu nodded repeatedly, "It's his reputation as a wife killer. Haixibo's second son has had three marriage proposals in recent years.
All the girls who were arranged to marry died before they were about to get married.
The first and second girls died of illness, and the third girl fell into the water and died.
After the reputation of being a wife-killer spread, no family of note in the capital was willing to marry into the Haixi Marquis's family."
Xie's face was pale, as if she had suffered a great blow.
Gao Sanfu was worried and called out several times, "Madam? Madam, are you okay?"
Xie waved her hand, "What else did you find out? Tell me all about it."
Gao Sanfu pondered and said, "He is the second legitimate son of the Marquis of Haixi. Rumor has it that he has a bad temper. Someone once saw a maid from his room being carried out covered in blood."
Upon hearing this, Xie's face turned pale.
Not only did he kill his wife, he also killed people. Xie shuddered.
If Yue'er really marries this man, wouldn't that be pushing Yue'er into the fire pit?
Xie let out a breath and said to Gao Sanfu, "You go down first."
"I'll take my leave."
At this time, Xie had basically given up the idea of marrying Gu Yue into the Haixi Earl's Mansion.
But I just can't accept it.
The Haixi Marquis' Mansion is a first-class family. Is it really going to give Gu Zhen a chance?
When Lord Gu returned home, Xie mentioned the matter to him.
Lord Gu said, "Since he has a reputation for being unlucky with his wife and has a bad temper, we definitely can't marry Yue'er to him. Let's just drop the matter. Let's follow the Marquis's wishes and let Zhen and Zhao Silang meet first."
Mrs. Xie looked depressed, "Poor Yue'er, such a good marriage, but it's not suitable."
Master Gu stared at Mrs. Xie, "Are you trying to push Yue'er into the fire?"
Mrs. Xie hurriedly shook her head, "Master, you have misunderstood. How could I bear to marry Yue'er to such a family? I am not the kind of person who would not care about the life or death of my children."
"That's great, don't think about it anymore."
…
Lord Gu's audience with the emperor went smoothly and he was praised by the emperor.
Afterwards, he took office smoothly and served as the prefect of the capital.
Lord Gu goes out early and comes back late every day, and all the preparations for the banquet are left to Mrs. Xie.
News came from the Marquis' Mansion that the Haixi Earl's Mansion had accepted the invitation, and on the day of the banquet, the Haixi Earl's wife would attend the banquet in person with her children.
Upon hearing the news, Xie was both happy and sad, sighing several times in succession.
Someone let the cat out of the bag, and the news that Lady Haixi was coming to the banquet reached Gu Zhen's ears.
Gu Zhen pursed her lips and smiled secretly, feeling extremely happy.
Aunt Hu was happy but also a little worried.
If Gu Zhen could really marry into the Haixi Marquis's Mansion, she would not be able to refuse the task assigned to her by Xie no matter what.
Aunt Hu looked at the courtyard next door, and the person living there was Aunt Bai.
Aunt Bai's belly grew bigger day by day.
After returning to the capital, Aunt Bai was unusually well-behaved and never left the courtyard unless necessary.
Aunt Hu laughed sarcastically. She knew that Aunt Bai was very scared. She was afraid that she would encounter danger as soon as she left the hospital and would not be able to keep the baby in her belly.
However, Xie refused to let Aunt Bai give birth to the child, and no matter how hard Aunt Bai tried, it was useless.
Unless the child is a girl, there is still hope of survival.
Aunt Hu sighed softly, feeling conflicted and entangled in her heart.
Gu Zhen didn't know what Aunt Hu was worried about.
She was eager to share her joy with others.
Gu Yue, Gu Shan?
Not good, not good.
She would go find Gu Jiu. She would laugh three times in front of Gu Jiu to let him know how happy she was.
Gu Zhen said to Aunt Hu, "Aunt, I'm going to play with my second sister."
After saying that, Gu Zhen ran out of the yard.
In Zhilan Courtyard, Gu Jiu was sitting at the desk, looking through the various materials collected by Er Zhuang.
After returning to the capital for a while, Erzhuang was ordered to go out every day, walk around, and inquire about news everywhere. He was already familiar with every street and alley in the capital.
He wrote down the information he had obtained into a book as requested and sent it to Gu Jiu's desk through Li Chuan.
Gu Jiu was flipping through the documents and taking notes.
Gu Jiu was too unfamiliar with the capital. She had no chance to go out. She could only rely on Er Zhuang to understand the real capital.
As for the aristocratic circles in the capital, Er Zhuang could not find out much information.
Gu Jiu planned to ask Gu Jun and the girls from the neighboring marquis's mansion for news about the aristocratic circle.
Gu Jiu was busy when Qing Zhu came in from outside. "Excuse me, Miss, the eldest and fifth girls are here, just outside the door."
"The eldest sister and the fifth sister are here, please invite them in."
Gu Jiu collected all the documents on the table.
Qingzhu went out and invited the two girls in.
Gu Zhen was not as happy as she was at the beginning. She glanced at Gu Lin beside her and was very annoyed.
I'm so unlucky that I ran into the fifth sister.
Gu Lin also thought, how unfortunate it was to run into the elder sister at the door.
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