Chapter 80 Is it because she's overthinking things? (Revision not...)
Upon hearing this, Han Mu frowned slightly. Come to think of it, apart from his aunt, she was the woman he had spoken to the most.
In her words, they became someone she wasn't even that familiar with.
"Luo Hua, what are you doing? Hurry up, it's the second half."
"Here I am," Xu Luohua replied, then turned to Cui Tingyue, "Miss Cui, hurry back to Madam Jiang's side, she'll be looking for you soon."
"Thank you for the reminder, young master. I'll head back now. See you in a bit." Those were the last few words.
Xu Luohua's face broke into a wide smile, making him look even more naive.
Seeing this put Cui Tingyue in a great mood. She felt very relaxed and easy to get along with, and she also had the idea of taking a closer look.
Xu Luohua turned around and took two steps, then turned back, holding the folding fan in both hands and handing it to Cui Tingyue. He said somewhat embarrassedly, "It's been bumpy on horseback, could you please keep this for me? No, could you please take this folding fan to my mother? Last time I dropped a jade pendant and it was trampled by a horse's hoof, so I dare not take it to the field again."
Logically, he should have servants to manage these things, but Cui Tingyue didn't mind helping out. She reached out and took the folding fan, and even offered a word of encouragement, "May Young Master Xu win the first prize and take the victory."
"Thank you for your kind words, young lady."
Xu Luohua ran far away, and Cui Tingyue also planned to go back to the stands, but found that Han Mu had not left yet. However, they no longer had any interaction. Just as Cui Tingyue was about to leave, Han Mu called her back.
"Is Miss Cui very familiar with him?"
"This is our first meeting." Cui Tingyue said without any hesitation, curtsying slightly. "My mother and Madam Xu are waiting for me. Please make yourself at home, Young Master Han."
"Wait a minute." Han Mu stopped Cui Tingyue again.
This pattern is so familiar. Both mothers are present. It is the first time she and Xu Luohua have met. Their expressions are shy but also reveal a little more familiarity than others.
Han Mu was somewhat anxious, "If you wish to marry, young lady, could you perhaps consider me first?"
Cui Tingyue looked up at Han Mu and asked directly, "Does Young Master have feelings for me?"
Seeing his hesitant expression, Cui Tingyue smiled, "Since you don't love me, why do you suddenly say such things? Not only are you irresponsible towards yourself, but you also look down on me."
After she finished speaking, the smile on her face turned cold. If she had still harbored a sliver of illusion about him before, it was completely gone now. "Please step aside, young master."
Dong'er followed closely behind her young mistress and whispered, "Miss, is Young Master Han regretting it?"
“This has nothing to do with us.” Cui Tingyue glanced at Dong’er, only to see her looking back repeatedly.
She frowned slightly, realizing that she should take Xiyu with her more often when going out in the future.
As Cui Tingyue was going up the steps, a girl in green came down. She seemed to be looking at her. Cui Tingyue nodded slightly and moved aside so that they could pass each other.
Unbeknownst to her, the girl in green had been staring at her back for quite some time.
After watching the polo match, since both sets of mothers were there, they went to a restaurant for a meal. During their time together, Cui Tingyue learned a lot more about Xu Luohua.
The meal was very pleasant and the conversation went very well.
Upon returning to the Jiang family, Granny He brought over a stack of invitations, which were from the other ladies.
After Jiang Liangxu "recovered", the number of visiting cards and invitations from the Jiang family increased significantly.
Only a small number were accepted; the rest were rejected.
Zhao Xian's matchmaking for Cui Tingyue was the news that was revealed at the beginning of the year, but unfortunately, Jiang Liangxu was seriously injured and at home at that time.
The more families observed, the less there was any sign of improvement. Even when Zhao Xian went to the banquet, the ladies kept quiet and did not discuss her children's marriages with her.
Now even posts are appearing.
Zhao Xian never compromised when it came to choosing a husband for Cui Tingyue, so she had all the invitations returned.
The next day.
"Madam, people from the Empress Dowager's palace have arrived and summoned you and Miss to the palace."
Zhao Xian was originally handling household affairs with Li Lianniang and Cui Tingyue.
Jiang Heng is getting married at the end of the month, and Li Lianniang is pregnant again. Guang He Mama and Cui Tingyue are too busy to handle everything, so Zhao Xian has to take over the household affairs again.
He had just begun listening to the servant's report when he was interrupted by a message.
"The Empress Dowager wants to...see me?" Cui Tingyue asked, somewhat uncertain.
Zhao Xian glanced at Cui Tingyue's casual clothes and said, "Go change your clothes."
The palace eunuchs were in the main hall of the front courtyard. Since she was going to enter the palace, Zhao Xian also needed to change into her official robes.
I originally wanted to help share the burden, but now it seems that Li Lianniang will have to continue to work hard.
Before leaving, Zhao Xian instructed Granny He to keep a close eye on things so that Li Lianniang wouldn't get tired.
-Empress Dowager's Shouchang Palace-
"Your Majesty, I pay my respects and wish you good health and happiness."
"Rise, please take a seat."
Zhao Xian discovered that there was another lady in the Empress Dowager's palace, who smiled and nodded at her.
Coincidentally, the other person was not a complete stranger, and Zhao Xian happened to know them.
Lady of Dingyuan Marquis.
Zhao Xian did not sit down, but pretended to be puzzled and asked, "This humble woman dares to ask why the Empress Dowager has summoned me?"
Zhao Xian didn't quite understand why this person was with the Empress Dowager, and why the Empress Dowager suddenly summoned her and Cui Tingyue to the palace. Could it be related to the Lady of Dingyuan Marquis?
But she wasn't familiar with the Lady of Dingyuan Marquis, so how could she be involved in anything?
The Empress Dowager, acting as if it were none of her business, said, "Let the Lady of Dingyuan Marquis tell you that she came to me for help."
Zhao Xian turned her head and looked at the Lady of Dingyuan Marquis, and found that she was sizing up Cui Tingyue with a rather critical look.
Upon being mentioned, Lady Dingyuan stopped scrutinizing him and immediately put on a kind smile, saying, "It is said that a family with a daughter will be sought by a hundred families. Miss Cui's temperament and appearance are a perfect match for my Marquis's son. They are a match made in heaven. I humbly request the Empress Dowager to grant us a marriage."
When Zhao Xian saw the Lady of Dingyuan Marquis, she felt as if she had heard of this family recently, but she couldn't remember it at the moment.
When she mentioned the arranged marriage, Zhao Xian suddenly remembered that when Jiang Liangxu had just returned, the Marquis of Dingyuan's mansion had sent a matchmaker to the Jiang family to propose marriage.
Zhao Xian was never careless when it came to choosing a husband for Cui Tingyue. The heir of the Marquis of Dingyuan was never on her radar, and she directly rejected him. Who knew that Cui Tingyue would come to the palace and ask the Empress Dowager to grant her a marriage?
A fire instantly ignited in Zhao Xian's heart. Didn't she know what kind of person her own son was? How could she have the nerve to harm someone else's daughter?
They even have the nerve to ask the Empress Dowager for a marriage decree.
However, the fact that the Empress Dowager summoned her to the palace instead of sending her directly to the Jiang family by imperial decree indicates that the matter is still undecided.
Zhao Xian put away the professional fake smile that she had been wearing since entering the palace, and said seriously, "Madam Dingyuan is joking. The children of the two families have never met, so how can you say that they are suitable for each other?"
As she spoke, she took a step forward, lifted her skirt and knelt down, changing her expression to express her gratitude to the Empress Dowager: "Yesterday, I met the youngest son of the General of Huaihua that Your Majesty mentioned. He truly lives up to the praise Your Majesty has given him. He got along very well with my Tingyue, and I even made an appointment with Madam Xu to meet again next time."
When Cui Tingyue saw Zhao Xian kneel down, she also knelt down. She did not know the Lady of Dingyuan Marquis, nor did she know the reputation of Dingyuan Marquis's mansion.
But she understood the meaning behind her adoptive mother's words: she didn't think much of the heir apparent mentioned by the wife of the Marquis of Dingyuan, and even looked down on him.
Zhao Xian bowed deeply to the Empress Dowager, saying, "Even if the Empress Dowager does not summon me today, I will still find a day to come to the palace to express my gratitude."
The Empress Dowager was puzzled upon hearing this: "Why didn't you arrange a marriage proposal for the youngest son of Lu, the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy?"
Of the three, the Empress Dowager was most pleased with Young Master Lu.
If Zhao Xian had already been asked about marriage, she would feel uncomfortable, but since she hadn't, she couldn't help but ask.
"To be honest, Your Majesty, my daughter Tingyue was delayed for a few years due to mourning, and she is a few months older than the youngest son of the Lu family. The two are not quite suitable in terms of age. On the other hand, the eldest son of the Lu family is of good age. Although he has been married before, he also has a daughter. I have already sent an invitation to Madam Lu and plan to visit the two families one day so that we can get to know each other better."
Regardless of whether the eldest son of the Lu family was good or not, Zhao Xian had to praise him first, because both families were better than the heir of the Marquis of Ding'an's mansion.
The Empress Dowager spoke up, and a hint of panic flashed across Lady Dingyuan's face. She hadn't expected that the Empress Dowager would actually approve it.
Just as she was worrying, she heard the Empress Dowager mention her son.
"Since it's a matchmaking process, why don't the heir of the Marquis of Dingyuan also go along? It just so happens that the Lady of the Marquis of Dingyuan is here today."
Before Lady Dingyuan could rejoice, a eunuch's voice came from outside the door announcing her arrival.
"Her Majesty the Empress has arrived."
Zhao Xian was already kneeling on the ground; she simply turned around and continued kneeling.
The Empress, supported by Qi An, entered and bowed to the Empress Dowager, saying, "Your Majesty, I pay my respects. May Your Majesty enjoy boundless blessings and peace."
"Get up," the Empress Dowager said calmly. "The Empress is unwell; why did she come to my residence?"
The Empress rose, her voice gentle yet firm: "I heard that Lady Jiang brought Miss Cui into the palace. She received a fan from the young lady last time and liked it very much, so she couldn't wait to come to the Empress Dowager to ask for her."
The women in the palace were not to be questioned by outsiders, and Zhao Xian simply listened to their back-and-forth.
Finally, it was the Empress who led them away from Shouchang Palace.
After leaving Shouchang Palace, the Empress stopped and asked, "Isn't Lady Jiang curious as to why the Empress Dowager is so anxious about Miss Cui's marriage?"
"Please enlighten us, Your Majesty."
The Empress dismissed her attendants, beckoned, and whispered in Zhao Xian's ear.
After hearing the whole story, Zhao Xian didn't know what to say.
It was all because Lin Nianzang had taken a liking to Han Mu, and the reason was quite familiar: Han Mu had helped her before the imperial examination, which Lin Nianzang remembered.
As for the three families the Empress Dowager mentioned, they were the husband candidates she had originally prepared for Lin Nianzang.
What an absurd reason.
The Empress slowly waved the phoenix tree-shaped fan, her eyes showing a hint of disdain. "I now understand the helpless situation that Lord Jiang and Madam Jiang had back then."
This is about Lin Nianzang's biological mother, Princess Rongyang, insisting on marrying Jiang Liangxu.
The Empress looked at Zhao Xian and asked, "The Jiang family has experience in this matter. How does Madam intend to handle it?"
Before Zhao Xian could answer, the Empress continued, "I think Mu'er isn't indifferent to Miss Cui either. Why not give him another chance?"
...
Zhao Xian did not answer the Empress, but gave her a perfunctory reply, and hurriedly left the palace with Cui Tingyue.
On the way, she recalled many details, including the day she went to pay her respects to the Empress Dowager, but the Empress Dowager asked about Cui Tingyue and Han Mu.
At that time, she had seen Lin Nianzang at Shouchang Palace, but the Empress Dowager did not say it explicitly. She only thought that the Empress Dowager was unhappy to see the Jiang family and the Han family unite by marriage.
Thus, Jiang Liangxu stood behind the Sixth Prince.
Now they tell her that there were no complicated schemes or plots involved; it was simply a great-grandmother's compromise with her great-granddaughter out of affection for her children!
At this moment, Zhao Xian felt an urge to curse.
Back at the Jiang family home, she hurried to the study and poured out all her thoughts to Jiang Liangxu. After drinking half a bowl of tea, she asked, puzzled, "Lin Nianzang wants to marry Han Mu. Can't the Empress Dowager grant the marriage? Why are you putting pressure on me?"
What did she do to deserve this?
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Author's note: I fixed a bug earlier, changing the second son of the General of Huaihua to the youngest son of the General of Huaihua.
The setup and explanations were so detailed they made me wish I were dead.
The female protagonist immediately regains her memory.
Cui Tingyue's storyline is almost over.
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