"What do you mean by marrying up? I'm relieved that Shucheng has married Ruyue. Shucheng has long had his eye on such a beautiful girl as Ruyue," Madam Song said with a smile.
"That's perfect. Since the Secretary is fond of Ruyue, that's even better. I wonder what Ruyue thinks?" Lanqin said to Madam Wu. It would be a wonderful thing to bring these two young people together, especially since Madam Song and Madam Wu were both helping her.
“That girl is just a child. I’ll write to Father and Mother. Marriage is a serious matter, arranged by parents and matchmakers,” said Madam Wu. She understood in her heart that with her family background, she could only find a relative in the capital, but that would mean becoming someone’s concubine, not the principal wife. She had already become the Fourth Prince’s concubine, and she truly didn’t want Ruyue to follow the same path. If there were a next life, she truly wanted to be pure and innocent, carried in a grand red sedan chair, and become someone’s proper wife. Madam Wu knew a little about Ruyue’s thoughts, and she absolutely disagreed.
Lanqin nodded and said, "Should we let them meet? Anyway, it would be convenient to call Shucheng in and arrange for them to meet so they can get to know each other better."
Madam Song smiled and said, "Yes, we're just waiting for the New Year. Once the clerks and the others are on holiday at their offices, we can call them in."
The three continued their conversation, all expressing satisfaction and joy at bringing Song Shucheng and Wu Ruyue together.
Meanwhile, inside Chunhui Hall, Hongqiao was reporting to Lady Fucha about how she had stayed up until 9 PM the previous night.
“My lady, I saw that Cuizhu came out in the middle of the night. She sneaked out while the two old women were asleep,” Hongqiao said.
"She couldn't resist any longer; sure enough, she acted on her own before we even went to look for her," said Lady Fucha. "Did she see you?"
“No, I was secretly watching her and I noticed she went towards the east courtyard. It seems Liu is going to ask Consort Nian for help,” Hongqiao said.
“You don’t need to go tonight, she will come on her own. Keep an eye on the feedback from Father,” said Lady Fucha.
"Yes, I will go out again in a few days. I made an appointment with Master to pick up the letter from that pharmacy," Hongqiao said. It turned out that before Fucha was carried into the Yong Prince's mansion in a red sedan chair, she had made an agreement with her father at home that if anything happened, they would write a letter and leave it at a pharmacy run by a declining member of her clan.
"Niohuru, I never imagined you would be so smug now, I never would have guessed!" Fucha thought of her past life, when Niohuru was completely out of favor, but now she was almost the sole favorite in the inner quarters, and she felt uneasy.
Hongqiao didn't understand the meaning behind Fucha's words and thought that she said them because she hated Nanxiaoyuan.
"Master, the skinners are here." Ping'er said from outside the house.
Lady Fucha was taken aback for a moment, then said, "Let her in."
Before long, a middle-aged woman came in with two maids, each carrying a piece of leather.
"This servant greets Princess Fucha. These are the furs that the head nanny has distributed to the masters in the inner quarters. You have received a piece of snow-white mink fur, and another piece of gray rabbit fur," the middle-aged nanny said.
"Hongqiao, give this old woman a red envelope," said Lady Fucha, glancing at the items in the hands of the two maids.
The middle-aged nanny immediately smiled and said, "Thank you for the gift, Princess Fucha."
"Granny, oh dear, it's freezing cold. I wonder what kind of fur Princess Liu over there got?" Fucha asked, feigning pity.
"Ha, don't worry about that. The head nanny also gave Liu Gege a piece of white rabbit fur and a piece of black mink fur," the middle-aged nanny said.
"Oh, that's good. I was worried that since Sister Liu was confined by the master, her expenses would be reduced." Fucha was slightly surprised, but she pretended to be relieved.
"In previous years, the expenses of the master would be reduced when he was sent away by the master. But this year they are not." The middle-aged nanny took the red envelope from Hongqiao and said in a somewhat ingratiating manner.
"Hmm, it seems the concubine is quite lenient towards us. Hongqiao, see the old nanny out for me." Lady Fucha had no more interest in speaking to the middle-aged nanny.
After they left, Lady Fucha looked at the two pieces of fur that Hong'er was holding and said indifferently, "Make some hand protectors and neck protectors."
Hong'er looked at Fucha in surprise and said, "Princess, such fine leather, isn't it a waste to use it for those things?"
Fucha said, "It's nothing special, just common stuff. Let's make some leather vests too. One for each of you three, and some neck protectors and hand protectors as well."
Seeing that Fucha was so generous, Hong'er quickly curtsied and said, "How dare we use such fine things? I'll go and make two leather vests for you, and two scarves and glove sleeves for each of you."
"My mother brought me several pieces, all of which are better than this. No need to say more, just take them and make them yourselves, consider it my New Year's gift to you," Fucha said lazily.
When Hongqiao returned and heard Fucha's arrangement for the two pieces of leather, she said to Fucha, "Master, we servants have our own allowances. Those are yours, and it would be overstepping our bounds if I used them!"
Fucha said, "Then accept it. Anyway, Mother gave me a white fox fur coat and a black fox fur coat with red stripes, but I haven't worn them. I don't need these."
"Master, you should keep it and give it away," Hongqiao said.
"Okay. Hongqiao, I think her people will be here tonight. You stay and keep watch," said Madam Fucha.
“Yes, I know,” Hongqiao replied.
Now, looking at the two furs laid out before her, Liu felt a slight pang of emotion and said, "It seems that Master isn't entirely heartless towards me. Normally, at a time like this, she should be withholding my charcoal, but Master can withhold these. Did Master specifically instruct me to do so?"
Cuizhu nodded and said, "It must be true, otherwise I wouldn't believe they were so kind."
A hint of joy flashed across Liu's face as she said, "As long as I give birth to this child well, the master will surely forgive me for the sake of the child. Did you see Consort Nian yesterday?"
Upon hearing this, Cuizhu immediately replied, "This servant went to the east courtyard, but the doors were tightly shut. Everyone was already resting. This servant then put the master's letter in a leather case and threw it inside."
“Yes, the people cleaning today will definitely see it. If you put it in the leather case, the letter won’t get wet from the snow,” Liu said. “Take this white rabbit fur and make a leather vest. Use the black one to make me a leather vest.”
"Thank you, Master! Master, I'll find another excuse to go out later. I think it would be better to give them this rabbit skin. That way, they won't make things too difficult for me," Cuizhu said.
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