In Zhang Zhaoci's view, the old lady and Granny Lu were actually of similar feelings to her, so Zhang Zhaoci naturally agreed to Granny Lu's request without hesitation.
Seeing that the two sides had reached an agreement, the old lady urged them to hurry back and pack their belongings, as the day after tomorrow was the day of departure. It was a long journey, and both Zhang Zhaoci's family and Granny Lu's family had a lot to pack.
It was known during lunchtime in the manor that the Third Master's family was leaving, and they were taking an old nanny with them. It was said that the old lady had helped to find this old nanny, and she was going to accompany them to be the tutor of the Ninth Miss.
Upon hearing this, the young lady of the manor went directly to the Lady of the Marquis's courtyard.
As the eldest daughter of the family and the legitimate daughter of the first branch, Xu Gao received the best upbringing in the family from a young age. Now that she is over ten years old, she knows very well what a good governess can bring her.
Xu Gao had her own close friends, and they often got together for gatherings. Naturally, she knew about Granny Lu's reputation in the capital city, but she really didn't expect that her third uncle's family would take Granny Li with them to Hexi County.
Lady Hou naturally already knew what had happened in the old lady's courtyard. When she received the news, she was furious. How could a son born out of wedlock have won the old lady's favor and been helping her with this and that?
After Xu Gao arrived, he bowed to the Lady Hou, his eyes red, and said, "Grandmother, I heard from the servants that you asked Granny Lu to go with Third Uncle's family to Hexi County, so that she can be Ninth Sister's tutor."
Lady Hou took a sip of tea and said, "Gao'er, as a junior, one cannot question the elders' wishes; that's the rule."
Xu Gao's face turned even uglier. He said, "Grandmother, Gao'er is not questioning, Gao'er just feels sad. We are all Grandmother's grandchildren. Grandmother is only busy taking care of Ninth Sister. Has she ever thought about Gao'er and Yao'er, who are great-granddaughters? Grandmother, we are all so grown up. We need a good governess to teach us manners."
Lady Hou sighed and said, "How could your grandmother not understand these things? It's just that good governesses are hard to find. Please wait a few more days, and your grandmother will ask someone to find you an excellent governess so that she can properly teach you manners."
After returning home, Xu Gao was still furious, so he went to his grandmother's courtyard.
The eldest mistress was in charge of the household affairs, and the courtyard was always bustling with people. When she saw her eldest daughter arrive with a gloomy face, she dealt with the matter and then had someone lead her to the side hall of the main house.
Grandma said, "Look at you, it's such a small thing, why did you come over with such a gloomy face?"
Xu Gao said, "Mother, that's not how it is. They are all children of the household, and the other side is born out of wedlock. How can all the good things be given to that side?"
Grandma was a very reasonable person, and she didn't want her child to grow up to be short-sighted. She said, "That family is going to the border thousands of miles away. The food there isn't as good as in the manor, the accommodations aren't as good, and I've heard the climate isn't as nice as here. They're going to suffer. Why don't you say that? If you ask me, as their niece, you should prepare a travel gift for your third uncle and his family. Whether you buy it from the street or make it yourself, isn't it all a token of your goodwill?"
Xu Gao lowered his head and remained silent. The eldest madam sighed and said, "Gao'er, you're already twelve years old. I'll have to find you a marriage soon. Our Marquis's mansion sounds prestigious, but you've helped me manage the household affairs before, don't you know what's going on inside? Your third uncle is now an official in another region, and he's the magistrate of a county on the border, where it's easiest to make a name for yourself. If he does well, it will be a good thing for our family. We should all help each other out, right? Alright, don't be like this anymore. In a few days, I'll go and find you a good governess."
Xu Gao wasn't a brainless person. After listening to his mother, he went back and started rummaging through his belongings. He eventually found an inkstone, some ink sticks, and a few trinkets he used to play with as a child. He found two brocade boxes, took the items, and went to Xu Rao's courtyard with his maid.
When Zhang Zhaoci saw that Xu Gao had brought things, he quickly instructed Qingmiao and Qingsui to serve tea and snacks.
Xu Gao put the things on the table and said, "Third Aunt, you are about to go to Hexi County. This is an inkstone and ink stick for Brother Di. These are some little things I played with when I was a child. They are for Ninth Sister to play with. They are not worth much money, but they are a token of my affection."
Upon seeing this, Zhang Zhaoci smiled and said, "Thank you, elder sister. Well, Di'er took Xiao Jiu to pick flowers in the garden. They'll be back soon. Please sit and wait a moment."
Zhang Zhaoci was really not good at communicating with such a young girl. She had a son at home, and although she had a well-behaved daughter, her daughter was cute and adorable, but Xu Gao was different. Xu Gao was bright and beautiful, and as the eldest daughter of the Marquis's family, she had paid great attention to etiquette since childhood. Whether it was sitting, lying down, walking, or speaking and bowing, she had undergone strict training. Being with such a person, even though she was a young girl, made Zhang Zhaoci feel uncomfortable all over.
Fortunately, Xu Di and Xu Zhi returned quickly. When they saw the things Xu Gao had given them, Xu Di thanked Xu Gao for the luggage, and Xu Zhi followed suit, giving a crooked curtsy.
Xu Rao contacted a security escort agency and asked them to take his family to Hexi County. Zhang Zhaoci said that he didn't care about the price, as long as they could get to Hexi County safely. So, after Xu Rao contacted the security escort agency, he took his pageboy Xiaoming to buy a few pots.
After dinner, Xu Di practiced calligraphy at the small kang table on the tatami mat as usual, while Xu Rao started soaking his feet again. Zhang Zhaoci said, "I think the carriage's shock absorption is terrible. It must have been really uncomfortable to ride in the carriage all this way."
My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
