Chapter 85 A Blessing in Disguise
Qiu Heng's visit to the palace this time not only brought changes to Qiu Meiren, but also caused a sensation throughout the entire Earl's Mansion.
The first person to ask Qiuheng was the Earl of Yongqing.
"How does the Imperial Concubine treat you? What was the Emperor's reaction when he heard you were skilled at making incense...?"
A series of questions were asked, but not a single word about Qiu Meiren was mentioned.
Qiu Heng silenced the Earl of Yongqing's excitement with a single sentence: "His Majesty knew that I was Qiu Liu, who had filed a lawsuit against Han Wu's son, so he let me go."
The Earl of Yongqing, exasperated, said, "Why are you emphasizing this!"
"That's just the truth, isn't it? I was just listening to my grandfather."
Yongqingbo was choked.
It was indeed he who forced Liu Yatou to sue Han Ziheng; who would have thought that Liu Yatou would have the opportunity to meet the emperor?
Xue Han, that brat, harmed him!
But it must be said that among all these granddaughters, this girl is the most unexpected. Not only did she become the adopted daughter of the Princess Consort of Kang County, but she also managed to get close to the Emperor. It is possible that the future of the Earl's Mansion will fall on this girl's shoulders.
Thinking about it this way, the Earl of Yongqing smiled kindly: "In any case, it is a great blessing to see the Emperor's face. You must cherish this opportunity in the future."
"Granddaughter knows, Grandfather, don't worry."
Uncle Yongqing nodded in satisfaction.
I like that this girl isn't pretentious.
This made the Earl of Yongqing furious, thinking of his eldest granddaughter who had been sitting on the sidelines in the deep palace for many years.
What a fool! He wasted all his efforts!
Qiu Heng returned to Lengxiang Residence, where Qiu Xuan and the others arrived hand in hand.
The sisters didn't care about the Emperor; the first thing they asked about was Consort Qiu's situation.
"How is your older sister? Has she gained or lost weight?"
"I heard that eldest sister is staying in Consort Shu's Hibiscus Palace. Has sixth sister met Consort Shu? Does she seem easy to get along with?"
"Did our eldest sister ask about us? She entered the palace early, when we were still young..."
After listening, Qiu Heng said frankly, "My eldest sister is very thin and her complexion is not good. She doesn't seem to be doing well. When Consort Shu saw her, she was quite gentle, but she didn't know anything about her. My eldest sister and I didn't exchange many words, nor did she ask about her family..."
Granny Yu's lips twitched violently in the corner.
Sixth Miss, who taught you to talk like that!
Perhaps she really shouldn't have taken up the position of governess; it should have been replaced by Granny Zhu—Granny Yu wavered for the first time due to her guilty conscience.
Qiu Heng's words silenced the sisters.
They still remembered their eldest sister's resistance before entering the palace. But people can't help but think the best, imagining that after all these years, their eldest sister might have let go of her obsession and had a good life.
But Qiu Heng ruthlessly shattered their expectations.
After a long while, Qiu Ying asked in a low voice, "What is the Imperial Concubine like? Is she really as stunningly beautiful as the rumors say?"
In her memory, her elder sister was the most outstanding beauty. If she couldn't win the emperor's favor, then what must Consort Yu, who was the most favored concubine in the palace, be like?
Qiu Heng thought for a moment and said truthfully, "The Imperial Concubine is very beautiful, but her temperament is even more special than her beauty."
Consort Yu's ability to win the emperor's favor was clearly not solely due to her appearance.
The sisters fell silent again.
Indeed, beauty does not make one omnipotent.
Qiu Fu stood up: "I have a bit of a headache, I'm leaving."
That annoying girl, she says the most awful things. I'm never coming to this awful place again.
Qiu Xuan and the other two also stood up: "We're going back too, Sixth Sister, you should rest."
"Would you like some osmanthus cake? Fangzhou just made it," Qiuheng asked with a smile.
Autumn is here, it's the perfect time to eat osmanthus cake.
Qiu Ying was overjoyed: "Thank you, Sixth Sister! I love osmanthus cake!"
Qiu Fu scoffed, "What don't you like to eat?"
"That's because Fangzhou made it so delicious," Qiuying retorted softly.
Qiu Fu rolled her eyes at her, feeling indignant: Qiu Heng is just relying on having a maid who can make pastries to win people over!
Carrying the packaged osmanthus cakes out of Lengxiangju, Qiuying saw Qiufu's stern face and tentatively said, "Fourth Sister, if you don't like them, why don't you give them to me?"
She can eat two portions!
"Eat, eat, eat! Aren't you afraid of turning into a piglet?" Qiu Fu rolled her eyes in exasperation.
Does she dislike osmanthus cake? Or is she upset because she heard her older sister was having a hard time?
After parting ways with her sisters, Qiu Fu went to stay with the first wife, Zhao.
"Why did Fu'er come here?"
Qiu Fu handed over the osmanthus cake: "Mother, please try it."
Zhao opened the oil paper package, picked up a piece of osmanthus cake, ate it, and nodded: "It tastes very good. Which pastry shop did you buy it from?"
As the person in charge of the household, Madam Zhao naturally knew that the kitchen in the mansion could not make such pastries.
"Made by Fangzhou."
Zhao's smile faded slightly.
She felt the same way the old lady did about the sixth young lady and instinctively didn't want her daughter to have much contact with her.
"Mother, I heard from Sixth Sister that Eldest Sister isn't doing very well in the palace." Qiu Fu picked up a piece of osmanthus cake and took a bite.
The pastries were sweet and soft, but her heart felt heavy, and she wanted to say something to someone. And when people in the household talked about her eldest sister, she naturally thought of her mother.
“The palace is different from the outside world. People in the palace are expected to keep their emotions hidden. What your sixth sister saw may not be true.”
"Mother--"
Madam Zhao said with a stern face, "Fu'er, you're not a child anymore. Think things through more. Your sixth sister says this isn't good and that isn't good, but whether it's going to the Kang Prince's Mansion or the palace, isn't she quite happy?"
Qiu Fu looked at her mother with disappointment: "Mother, when you heard that eldest sister was not doing well, why didn't you ask more about her situation, instead of questioning sixth sister's words first?"
"Fu'er, are you blaming your mother for not caring about your eldest sister?"
“Just like Mother said, I’m not a child anymore, I can think for myself when things happen!” Qiu Fu suddenly stood up, turned around and took two steps, then turned back, picked up the remaining osmanthus cakes and ran away.
Zhao slammed her hand on the table in anger: "This girl has been spoiled rotten!"
The maid next to him kept her eyes down, acting as if she were invisible.
On her way to her room, Qiu Fu's eyes were filled with tears.
She wasn't feeling wronged, but rather terrified.
Her parents didn't love her older sister as much as she thought, and she obviously wouldn't be an exception.
"What's wrong with Fourth Sister?" Qiu Xuan, who was on her way to Second Madam's place, met Qiu Fu and asked with concern.
"It's nothing, I just choked because I ate the osmanthus cake too fast." Qiu Fu didn't want to show weakness in front of her sisters, so she forced back her tears.
"Then Fourth Sister, go back and drink some water to calm down."
"Mm." Qiu Fu nodded and hurriedly walked past Qiu Xuan.
Qiu Xuan came to Lan's room, also bringing osmanthus cake.
"Mother, this is osmanthus cake that my sixth sister sent. Please try it."
Madam Lan immediately took a bite and praised it highly: "Fangzhou, who serves the Sixth Miss, is truly a talented person."
Even the maidservants around the Sixth Miss are extraordinary; no wonder her arrival brought so many changes to the Earl's mansion.
"What does Mother want with me?"
Lan wiped her mouth with a handkerchief and took Qiu Xuan's hand: "Mother wants to talk about your marriage."
Qiu Xuan's expression stiffened, and she became nervous.
Do you remember Song Rui, your second aunt's husband's nephew?
Qiu Xuan nodded, and the image of a handsome young man appeared in her mind.
They had known each other since childhood, but hadn't seen each other for two or three years as they grew up.
Qiu Xuan vaguely knew why they hadn't seen each other again: her aunt had once proposed marriage to her on behalf of Song Rui, but it ultimately failed to pass her grandfather's approval.
She actually felt a little regretful, but she had always been polite when she was with Song Rui, and the two of them had never revealed anything to each other, so she didn't develop any obsession.
Could it be—thinking of a certain possibility, Qiu Xuan's heart skipped a beat, and her cheeks flushed red.
Seeing her daughter's reaction, Lan's lips curled up.
It seems that Xuan'er is looking forward to this marriage; her planning has not been in vain.
"I didn't tell you in detail before, because I was afraid you would feel bad if you knew. Song Rui and you have known each other since childhood, you can be said to be childhood sweethearts. That boy is steady and kind, he likes you but is afraid of being too forward, so he privately asked your aunt to arrange the marriage..."
Qiu Xuan listened intently, her face turning even redder.
Song Rui... likes her?
“But—” Lan paused, a mocking smile flashing across her lips, “but your grandfather rejected the Song family because he thought their social standing was too low.”
Qiu Xuan lowered her head and didn't say anything.
"Back then, I thought you were still young, and I could take my time to find someone better. I never imagined you'd almost end up in that den of wolves in the Xiping Marquis's mansion. Now that I think about it, knowing someone's background is the most important thing. Although the Song family isn't of high social standing, they are a family of scholars and farmers with a good foundation, and many talented people have come from their family. Song Rui is still studying now, and he might have a bright future. Even if he doesn't, he is a good person, good-looking, and cares about you. With your aunt's care, your life in your husband's family won't be bad."
Qiu Xuan blushed more and more as she listened, lowering her eyes and gently rubbing her handkerchief.
"Xuan'er, what are you thinking?"
"Mother, you can decide everything for your daughter." Qiu Xuan was overjoyed, but a sense of anxiety inevitably arose. "After the falling out with the Marquis of Xiping's mansion, will the Song family still be willing? Will Grandfather agree—"
Madam Lan smiled: "I already had your aunt test the waters. For the past two years, Song Rui has been unwilling to arrange marriages, using his studies as an excuse. In reality, he can't let go of your unmarried status."
As Qiu Xuan listened, her eyes welled up with tears.
If she hadn't experienced the ordeal at the Marquis of Xiping's residence, she wouldn't be so unreserved, but now she's truly afraid.
Who knows what those seemingly gentle and refined gentlemen are really like? They might be true gentlemen, or they might be devils.
But she couldn't afford to gamble.
"Then... what about Grandfather?" Qiu Xuan nervously clutched her handkerchief.
"Times have changed. Xuan'er, your standing up to point out the misdeeds of the fourth young master of the Xiping Marquis's mansion has indeed attracted a lot of criticism, and this criticism has greatly lowered your standing in your grandfather's eyes—"
"What does Mother mean?"
Lan smiled broadly: "Your grandfather thinks your reputation is tainted, so it's good enough that you can get married soon."
Qiu Xuan covered her mouth, her voice trembling: "Grandfather agreed?"
"Yes." Madam Lan raised her hand and lovingly stroked her daughter's hair. "As the old saying goes, what is lost on one side may be gained on another. My Xuan'er has turned misfortune into blessing."
Qiu Xuan could no longer hold back, and tears streamed down her face.
She wasn't just crying because she had a satisfactory marriage; she was also crying because of the desperate gamble she had taken in the bamboo forest of Ganquan Temple.
Thankfully, she didn't let fame hold her back.
After leaving the Lan family's place, Qiu Xuan went straight to Lengxiang Residence.
"Did Second Sister forget something?" Qiu Heng asked when Qiu Xuan returned.
Qiu Xuan hugged Qiu Heng tightly.
Qiu Heng was stunned: "Second Sister?"
"Sixth Sister, your return is my greatest fortune!" Qiu Xuan said, her voice choked with emotion, expressing her heartfelt gratitude.
(End of this chapter)
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