Chapter 36 Unkind Elders
Qiu Heng's words were like thunderclaps, exploding in Qiu Xuan's mind and leaving her completely blank.
After a while, Qiu Xuan finally regained her composure and asked with trembling lips, "Where did Sixth Sister get this information?"
Qiu Heng was quite pleased to see that Qiu Xuan's first reaction wasn't one of doubt: "I asked Lord Xue Han, the Imperial Envoy, to investigate..."
Imperial City Guard—Qiu Xuan's face turned even paler, with no lingering hope.
She sat there blankly for a long time, then grabbed Qiu Heng's hand and asked, "Sixth Sister, where is Young Master Zhao's cousin... settled?"
Qiu Heng gave an address.
Qiu Xuan remembered it well, and forced a smile at Qiu Heng: "Sixth Sister, I can't take care of you for the time being, I have to go to Mother's place."
"Second sister, go ahead and get busy."
After Qiu Heng left, Qiu Xuan hurriedly went to the Second Madam, Lan Shi's place.
Mr. Lan is looking through the account books.
The match seems promising, and the daughter's marriage will be arranged soon. After that, there will be preparations for the wedding, and there will be a lot to do.
As the maid announced her arrival, Qiu Xuan entered.
"Why is Xuan'er here?" Madam Lan put down the account book and looked at her daughter with a smile.
"My daughter has something to say to you privately."
Lady Lan dismissed the maids.
"Mother!" Qiu Xuan tugged at Lan Shi's sleeve, tears streaming down her face.
Lan was startled: "What's going on?"
She knew her daughter well; she was usually very composed and reserved, and rarely acted like this.
Indeed, Lan's heart was pounding, and she had a premonition that this was no small matter.
"That young master Zhao has a cousin he's secretly in love with, who is already pregnant. The Lady of Xiping Marquis is in a hurry to arrange a marriage for her son in order to break them up..."
Lady Lan was shocked and asked in a deep voice, "Xuan'er, where did you get such confidential information?"
"Sixth Sister told me."
Madam Lan was greatly surprised: "Sixth Miss?"
"Yes, Sixth Sister asked Lord Xue of the Imperial City Guard to investigate."
Lady Lan was even more shocked: "Why did the Sixth Miss ask the Imperial City Guard to investigate this? How did she become acquainted with Lord Xue of the Imperial City Guard?"
"Mother, these things aren't important right now. What's important is my marriage to Young Master Zhao!" Qiu Xuan choked back tears.
Lan raised her hand to rub her forehead, calming herself down: "Yes, the important thing is this marriage."
The couple has already met, and whether to agree to or reject the marriage is now urgent.
"We still need to confirm whether this matter is true or not." Seeing Qiu Xuan's lips move slightly, Madam Lan patted her hand. "It's not that I don't trust your sixth sister, but the matter that the sixth young lady asked the Imperial City Guard to investigate can be told to you, and you can tell me, but how can we tell your grandparents? That wouldn't be good for your sixth sister either."
Qiu Xuan nodded.
"Where is Young Master Zhao's cousin settled?"
"Just then..."
The Lan family asked all the necessary questions and immediately arranged for an investigation. Perhaps it was divine intervention, for news arrived in just one day.
"It was quite a coincidence. I had just figured out which manor to visit when I saw Young Master Zhao go by..."
After hearing the servant's report, Madam Lan slammed her hand on the table: "This is outrageous!"
Lady Lan sent a servant to find Master Qiu and explain the situation.
Master Qiu looked troubled: "It is indeed not a proper match, but Father is quite satisfied with this marriage."
Madam Lan sneered, "This is Xuan'er's life-long affair. The master dares not refuse. I will go and speak to him!"
Inside Qiansong Hall, the old lady was preparing to reply to the Marquis of Xiping's residence when she was stunned by Lan's words.
Madam Lan wiped away her tears with a handkerchief: "My daughter-in-law only has one daughter, Xuan'er. Suddenly, such a marriage between someone of such high social standing has come up. And that young master Zhao is outstanding in every way. I always felt uneasy about it, so I arranged for people to inquire more. I never expected that this investigation would uncover such a sordid affair..."
The old lady's head was buzzing.
A perfectly good marriage suddenly went wrong?
"Fortunately, the marriage hasn't taken place yet, so we won't have to push Xuan'er into a fire pit."
The old lady frowned: "But the Marquis has already spoken and made a deal with the Marquis of Xiping's residence."
Madam Lan gritted her teeth inwardly, but dared not be disrespectful on the surface: "Lord, you are unaware of what's going on here. Please tell him—"
The old lady couldn't possibly not inform Yongqing Earl about such a big matter, so she quickly called him back from outside.
After listening, the Earl of Yongqing glanced at Master Qiu and Madam Lan, his expression very calm: "It's just a momentary impulse of young people. They will become more mature once they are married and have a new wife."
“Lord, this is not as simple as a momentary impulse. My cousin is already pregnant!” Madam Lan never dared to raise her voice in front of her father-in-law, but she couldn’t help but speak up for her daughter’s sake.
Yongqing Bo scoffed, "What impact can a mistress from a concubine have? Besides, it's uncertain whether she'll even be born safely. Are you really going to turn down a marriage proposal from the Xiping Marquis's family just because of this? Lan Shi, I've always thought you were a sensible person, but I never expected you to make such a blunder regarding your daughter's marriage. How many men in high-ranking families only have one wife?"
“This is different from being a concubine. If a woman has been promiscuous before marriage and becomes pregnant, and the head of the household conceals this and deceives the marriage… If Xuan’er marries into such a family, it’s like entering a den of wolves and tigers…” Lan Shi became more and more agitated as she spoke.
Enraged by his daughter-in-law's opposition, Yongqing Bo roared, "Lan, are you trying to defy your parents-in-law?"
The old lady glanced at Yongqing Bo and slightly pursed her lips.
What do you mean by disobeying her in-laws? Clearly, it's only this old woman who's disobeying them. She doesn't like this marriage at all now.
She hoped her granddaughters would marry into prestigious families, not into hell.
Madam Lan knelt on the ground: "Your daughter-in-law dares not, but begs Your Excellency to understand my love for my daughter..."
"If you truly care about your daughter, you should take a long-term view." Uncle Yongqing glared fiercely at Master Qiu. "Are you just letting your wife cause trouble? Are you planning to replace her?"
This is what threatening to divorce one's wife means.
Madam Lan's face was ashen, but she was desperate: "Then let's divorce our daughter-in-law and let her take Xuan'er home!"
Qiu Xuan, who had been eavesdropping outside, stumbled in, knelt beside Lan Shi, hugged her, and looked up at Yongqing Bo, crying, "Grandfather, I am willing to marry you, I am willing to marry you!"
The Earl of Yongqing glanced at the mother and daughter who were embracing and weeping, and coldly said to the old lady, "Tomorrow, give a reply to the Marquis of Xiping's residence and finalize the marriage!"
I never expected that he, as the Earl, would still be doing such a good job, yet his daughter-in-law would dare to disobey him.
In comparison, it's clear that the eldest daughter-in-law was the better choice. Back then, when the eldest daughter went on a hunger strike, her mother didn't soften her heart or make a mistake.
Madam Lan returned to her room, tears streaming down her face: "Xuan'er, it's all my fault, I'm so sorry..."
"No, it's because my daughter is too greedy..."
Unable to face his wife and daughter in such a state, Master Qiu silently went to the front yard.
The courtyard was quiet for a moment until a maid came in to report: "Madam, the Sixth Miss has arrived."
Lan wiped away her tears and forced herself to cheer up: "Please, Sixth Miss, sit in the main hall for a while."
After tidying up, the mother and daughter went out to see Qiuheng.
"Second Aunt, Second Sister." Qiu Heng greeted the two after waiting for a while.
"Is there something you need, Heng'er?"
Qiu Heng got straight to the point: "I've heard that Grandfather insists on arranging this marriage for Second Sister. I have a way that might relieve Second Sister's worries."
(End of this chapter)
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