Chapter 82: Marriage
After Xu Shuyao returned home that day, the Wang family indeed sent someone to deliver gifts the next day.
In addition to the set of ruby and gold filigree headpiece given to Xu Shuyao, there was also a pair of gem-studded necklaces, earrings, and Hetian jade bracelets.
She also gave each of the other women in the Xiao family a piece of jewelry as a thank you.
Xu Shuyao was very happy when she saw the box full of things that Old Madam Xiao had the maid bring to her. She couldn't earn enough of these things even if she painted on flowery paper for her whole life.
The old lady smiled and said, "Take it! When the time comes, add these to your dowry, and you'll have face in your husband's family."
Xu Shuyao accepted it with a little shyness.
The old lady continued, "I heard from my eldest daughter-in-law that you chose the Narcissus Goddess yesterday. I think she must be very beautiful. It's a pity that I didn't have the pleasure to see her."
Because Old Madam Xiao had instructed them in advance that they should go directly to the second gate when they left, the old lady did not see the dress she was wearing.
Xu Shuyao laughed when she heard this, "No matter what kind of god it is, it's not as beautiful as the living Yaoyao in front of me."
After she finished speaking, she saw the old man's eyes wide open with an exaggerated expression, and she felt a little embarrassed.
However, just as he lowered his head, he heard the old lady say, "You know you're back?"
Xu Shuyao looked up in surprise and saw Xiao Mo, wearing a light robe with fire patterns, standing leisurely in front of the screen at the entrance.
There was a hint of smile in his eyes, and the corners of his lips raised slightly: "Cousin Xu is here too?"
Xu Shuyao stood up calmly and called out, "Cousin!"
Xiao Mo nodded to her and sat directly on the chair brought by the maid. His attitude was extremely casual and he seemed to have no grudges.
When Xu Shuyao saw the other person's look, she felt completely relieved.
She wanted to have a good relationship with everyone in the mansion, especially the person in front of her.
It would be awkward if I lost face for the prince because of my refusal and made the meeting between them awkward.
Fortunately, he didn't take it to heart.
However, Xu Shuyao didn't know that the moment she lowered her head, Xiao Mo's eyes swept over her again, but there was no trace of a smile on his face.
Because the prince was present, Xu Shuyao quickly took the box of head ornaments and jewelry sent by the Wang family and left.
Xiao Mo glanced at the young lady's excited back, and then heard the old lady talk about how she saved the eldest grandson of Qingyuan Marquis's Mansion today.
The old man didn't hear a reply for a long time. When he looked up, he saw him leaning back in the chair with his eyes half closed, as if he was asleep.
Old Madam Xiao felt extremely distressed and quickly asked the maid to cover him with a thin quilt.
In Jiyunzhai, Zheng Ma was very happy to see Xu Shuyao bringing back a box of jewelry.
She probably had the same idea as Old Lady Xiao, believing that a woman should have more dowry and jewelry so that she would look decent when she married in the future.
Everyone is anxious, but Xu Shuyao herself is not.
But if she never gets married, it would not be good for her to always eat for free in Duke Cheng's mansion.
You have to find some way to make money.
So even if you have these things, the shop still has to stay open.
Even for a shop like that that specializes in writing instruments, the business has indeed improved a lot thanks to her flowery paper. From last year to now, the shop has made a surplus of more than one hundred taels of silver, which was something they had never dared to think about before.
Xu Shuyao couldn't go out, so Manager Yang asked Qiao Wei to take a letter to her, which also included the account books of the past few months. His words were full of joy.
They were happily admiring the jewelry in Jiyunzhai, and the next day they heard that Zhou from Qingyuan Marquis Mansion had arrived.
Of course, the news was told by the maid and Qiao Wei from Songhe Hall.
Xu Shuyao now frequently goes in and out of Songhe Hall, and the maids there have become familiar with Qiaowei and Huixiang in her courtyard, and any news is passed on to both sides.
No one knew what Zhou said, because only Madam Liu, who was by the old lady's side, was in the room at that time.
As an elder in the mansion, Madam Liu is naturally very tight-lipped and will not betray as easily as the young maids like Chunsheng.
It is unknown what Zhou came for, but two days later, Madam Xiao specifically asked to take Xu Shuyao to Qingning Temple to burn incense.
Qingning Temple is built on the top of Qixia Mountain, which is located to the east of the imperial city. It takes more than half an hour to reach the temple by carriage along the official road from the east gate.
Qixia Mountain is not high. Although it is called Qixia, it does not refer to the sunset glow, but the morning glow.
It is said that a great monk once traveled here and happened to see the morning light shining through the clouds. The mountain was suddenly covered with a thousand-foot-high rosy glow and the scenery was very beautiful. So he wrote this name on a wooden plaque and placed it at the foot of the mountain.
In addition to the continuous temples and ancient monasteries on Qixia Mountain, there are also courtyards for pilgrims to stay, as well as refreshing and delicious vegetarian food.
Xu Shuyao had not been to the capital since she came there. The old lady had always had the habit of going to Qingning Temple to burn incense and stay for a short time, sometimes for two or three days, sometimes for ten days or half a month.
Xu Shuyao felt that the timing was not bad, as her younger brother had just gone to the Imperial College and would not be back soon.
The next morning, she dressed neatly and got on the same carriage with the old lady.
Xu Shuyao brought Qiaowei and Huixiang as usual, while the old lady brought Liu Ma, Chunsheng and Dongmei. In addition, there were several guards who followed.
As soon as Old Madam Xiao got on the carriage, she asked, "Have you settled the matter of Jiyunzhai? I've already told the brothers in the mansion to mind their business if anything happens to you."
Xu Shuyao said naturally that nothing was wrong.
Ever since the Third Master brought the Fifth Young Master to the Sun Family to apologize after the New Year, Sun Xingyao has never bothered my younger brother again.
She remembered A-di's words: "After he knew that my parents had passed away, he brought me food several times and said he would look after me in the future!"
Xu Shuyao didn't know how that person figured it out so quickly, but she was very grateful to the old lady.
After a while, the old lady continued, "You must be curious why I brought you and not the third and fourth girls?"
Seeing the old man looking at her kindly, Xu Shuyao tentatively replied, "My third cousin wants to embroider her dowry, and my fourth cousin is still young."
The old lady nodded. "That's certainly one aspect. On the other hand, the other day, the wife of the Marquis of Qingyuan came over to talk about finding you a marriage partner. Her target is her nephew from her mother's family. I've never met that child, but since you saved their grandson before, they wouldn't say someone too bad is going to harm you, so they agreed to take you to meet him. I'll give you a little background here so you have an idea."
The old man spoke frankly enough, and Xu Shuyao finally understood the purpose of Zhou's visit that day, but she had no reason not to see her.
Living in the mansion, she could never escape the marriage proposals, not to mention that the person who arranged the marriage for her was Old Madam Xiao, whom she respected very much.
She nodded quickly and said, "Okay, I'll go see him!"
For a moment, the old man's wrinkled face was filled with a smile, and he sighed, "You are so well-behaved!"
She thought of her eldest grandson, who had to go out in the wind and rain every day without anyone caring about him.
The other day, I fell asleep leaning on a chair in Songhe Hall.
Old Madam Xiao wanted to let him rest for a while, but for some reason, when she went to the inner room and came out, she only saw the thin quilt piled aside, but the man had disappeared nowhere.
Old Madam Xiao sighed.
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