Chapter 30 Pride and Prejudice
The banquet at Songhe Hall lasted until the hour of Xu.
Because she was happy, Xu Shuyao also drank some chrysanthemum wine during the meal, and her face turned red as soon as she drank it.
Those upturned peach blossom eyes are already charming, and her cheeks and lips are also bright red.
When Qiao Wei saw Young Master Shu Heng coming over, and the Fourth and Fifth Young Masters were about to come over, she hurriedly took the cloak to cover her master's head and face.
It seems like it has rained outside, and every autumn rain brings a chill.
After the banquet, the Chengguo Mansion seemed particularly quiet and deserted at night.
Xiao Mo left Songhe Hall and walked towards the outer courtyard where he lived.
On the way, he accidentally bumped into something, reached out and pulled it down, and threw it into the bushes next to him.
The guard Wuming who was following behind him glanced at the crimson bag among the bushes and felt sorry for the third young lady in the mansion.
There was no rejection when the prince put it on just now, but now he just wants to throw it away.
Wuming didn't care, he just took a quick glance and walked forward without looking around.
After a while, the two met a few young men from the mansion. They were chatting happily about something, and the fifth young master had the loudest voice among them.
Xiao Mo nodded to them, his eyes falling on the dogwood bags on their waists. A faint fragrance wafted in, and he frowned slightly, but suddenly said, "Fourth brother! Wait a moment!"
Xiao Jinwen was slightly surprised when he heard his elder brother suddenly calling him.
Although the two are brothers, they rarely talk to each other even though he has joined the Imperial Guard and become Xiao Mo's subordinate.
"Okay!" Xiao Jinwen smiled, and said to his fifth brother and Xiao Jinrong behind him, "You guys go back first!"
Not until everyone had left did Xiao Mo come to the side of this fourth brother and pull off the crimson bag from his waist.
Seeing Xiao Jinwen, who was usually gentle and polite, suddenly turn pale as snow, he looked into her eyes and said calmly, "Since we're engaged, don't let your mind wander."
He casually tossed the crimson sac aside and added, "You haven't seen those methods before, so you're naturally unprepared."
Xiao Jinwen knew that the crimson bag on his waist came from his cousin Xu, so he turned pale when Xiao Mochu pulled it off.
He wanted to say that it was not the case. Xiao Jinwen usually paid close attention to the second house, and he also knew how Cousin Xu and Third Sister got along.
As soon as he saw his third sister take out the crimson bag today, he knew the whole story.
But he couldn't defend himself, let alone his cousin Xu.
Otherwise, how can we explain why he wore it so solemnly even though he knew it was made by Cousin Xu?
And the eldest brother did not mention any names.
In front of Xiao Mo, it seemed that these younger brothers had only the responsibility to obey.
Xiao Jinwen opened his lips but said nothing. After a moment, he lowered his head and said, "Jinwen knows."
Xiao Mo patted his shoulder and quickly turned and left.
Wuming followed behind the prince, not daring to say a word.
Xu Shuyao in Jiyunzhai naturally had no idea of this happening, and she had no idea that she was labeled as scheming just because she was preparing some dogwood sachets to help her third cousin.
With the instructions from Old Madam Xiao the day before, Xu Shuyao went to Songhe Hall at dawn the next day.
But as soon as she walked outside the open hall, she heard Liu Qingwan talking to Liu Ma, who was beside the old lady.
"Madam Liu, why don't you sleep a little longer? The old lady has just woken up, and I am slow, so I will serve Madam Liu a cup of tea."
"I woke up early today, so I thought I might as well come and accompany grandma."
Xu Shuyao raised her eyebrows. She woke up early indeed.
She walked in, called out "Madame Liu," and then found a stool to sit on.
After Nanny Liu poured tea for Liu Qingwan, she brought over the teapot.
Xu Shuyao quickly reached out to take it: "Don't worry, Ma'am, I'll come right over."
But I dare not trouble the most prestigious nanny around the old lady to serve me. I am just being modest to them!
Seeing that Miss Xu did not need her service, Madam Liu did not insist and went to the inner room.
Xu Shuyao and Liu Qingwan nodded and said hello. Liu Qingwan forced a smile and the two stopped talking.
It was not until Nanny Liu came out and called them in that the third daughter of the Xiao family came in from outside.
The three of them went to pay their respects to Madam Xiao. The old lady had already packed up and when she saw them, she said hurriedly, "I told you not to get up so early. It's not a big deal for a young lady to sleep a little longer."
He asked how many people had had breakfast, and Xu Shuyao nodded. She had hurriedly eaten two shepherd's purse buns when she came.
Liu Qingwan also nodded with a slightly blushing face.
Old Madam Xiao cast her gaze towards the hurried Third Girl. Seeing her embarrassed look, she knew she hadn't had breakfast yet, so she said, "Alright, bring three sets of bowls and chopsticks! If you don't feel like eating in your own courtyard tomorrow, you can eat together at Songhe Hall."
Since Old Madam Xiao had given such instructions, Xu Shuyao and the other two sat down.
There was a plate of shepherd's purse buns and a few side dishes on the table, and in front of Old Madam Xiao was a small bowl of rice porridge.
Then the old lady gave instructions to those around her, "Give each of them half a bowl of rice."
The maidservant responded and left. After a while, the rice was served.
Xu Shuyao ate little at Jiyunzhai, but this half bowl of rice was just right for her.
Liu Qingwan usually has a small appetite, so she frowned slightly at this moment.
But seeing Xu Shuyao and Xiao Jinshan beside him picking up chopsticks without saying a word, he could only swallow the words in his throat.
Old Madam Xiao slowly finished the rice porridge in front of her, picked up a few more pieces of food and tasted them before stopping.
As soon as she put down her chopsticks, Xu Shuyao and Xiao Jinshan quickly stopped eating as well.
A few minutes ago, Liu Qingwan was the only one left, looking at the half-empty bowl of rice. She didn't know whether to put the bowl down or not.
Madam Xiao smiled very kindly: "Don't bother with us, just do your own thing."
Having said that, he looked at her slender arms again, but didn't say anything else.
Liu Qingwan is just like her surname, with a beauty like a willow swaying in the wind.
When she first came to Duke Cheng's Mansion, she was still a bit plump and looked healthier. But now, two years later, that Xizi-holding-heart look has become more and more obvious.
After finishing breakfast, Xu Shuyao and Xiao Jinshan sat aside and drank tea.
After Liu Qingwan left the table, the three of them were called to the compartment by Old Madam Xiao.
The old lady looked at them and said, "Since Miss Xu and Miss Liu are staying at my Duke Cheng's mansion, and now that you're old enough to get married, I'll take you with me for a while. It should have been done a long time ago. It's all my fault for the past two years, when I was so preoccupied with my own likes and dislikes, and was obsessed with vegetarianism and Buddhist chanting, that I missed out on important matters."
After saying this, Madam Xiao turned to Xiao Jinshan and said, "It's the same with you. I used to think that you had your mother by your side. But now that my two cousins are here, I can't leave you behind."
The three of them nodded and thanked their grandmother for her teachings. Then Old Madam Xiao asked the maids to bring three desks.
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