The gifts were indeed generous: a pair of jade mandarin ducks, an Avalokitesvara for child-giving, a pair of exquisitely made porcelain child figures...
To the observer, it seemed like a sincere wish for his perfect union with the second Miss Li and the flourishment of their future descendants.
However, this excessively elaborate sincerity was incredibly jarring to Duan Lan. From these gifts, he seemed to perceive the provocative gaze of Marquis Mu Houchu.
Duan Lan tossed the gift list aside, impatiently saying, "Take it away."
"Yes." Qingyun wouldn’t dare upset his young master, especially not when the wedding was imminent. There was no room for mishaps.
Duan Lan looked at the hanging flower lantern in the room, sneered and said, "There will be plenty of time in the future. Isn’t this hasty celebration a bit too early?"
——
On the seventeenth, the grand marriage alliance between the Duan Family and Le Yuanhou Mansion sent shockwaves throughout the capital city. The magnitude of the celebration was perhaps only rivalled by last year’s wedding between Mu Xiang and the eldest Miss of Le Yuanhou Mansion.
Even in Lian’an Town, the news caused quite a stir.
When Shulan cautiously mentioned the occasion, she noticed no particular reaction from her mistress, which slightly eased her worries.
"Speaking of which, the Child Scholar Test is coming up. Young Master Xiaobei and Xiaohuochai will be participating next month," Xin He abruptly said.
"Yes, although Young Master Xiaobei loves to play, he never neglects his studies. He might win this time," Shulan replied with a smile.
Xin He chuckled and shook her head: "I asked their teacher. He said that Xiaobei’s chances of success are quite slim this year, it’s more of a testing the waters for him. On the other hand, Xiaohuochai shows great potential, the teacher has high expectations of him."
Madam, there’s no need to rush, just take it easy," she added.
"I’m not in a hurry, but this is a significant opportunity after all, we can’t be too lax," Xin He said, pausing before continuing, "How long has the master been in his study?"
As Xin He was pregnant, especially since she was in her vital first trimester, Marquis Mu Houchu was particularly cautious. He didn’t allow her to leave the house and rarely left himself. But with many affairs to attend to, he moved his office to his study, which was frequently visited by various people for discussions.
"About two hours," Shulan responded.
Normally, he would be back within an hour. Because he was concerned about Xin He, he usually dealt with matters swiftly.
Seeing that he had been in the study for an unusually long time, perhaps there was a difficult matter he was dealing with?
Xin He was a bit worried and stood up, ready to go out, "I’m going to check on him."
Outside the study,
Ling Feng and a few other guards were keeping watch. The study had become an important place where discussions involving court matters were held. Therefore, strict surveillance was necessary to ensure privacy. Even when Marquis Mu Houchu wasn’t in the study, it was off-limits to everyone in the mansion.
Except for Ji Xinhe.
"Greetings, madam," Ling Feng and the others saluted with their fists.
Xin He nodded in acknowledgement, "I’ve come to bring tea for the master."
Ling Feng hesitated for a moment before stepping aside to let her pass.
As Xinhe entered the study, she saw that it was still bustling with activity. Marquis Mu Houchu was sitting at the head of the table, with three men she didn’t quite recognize sitting across and beside him. She could guess they were his trusted confidants or assistants.
Xinhe’s sudden entrance startled the men. Firstly, they hadn’t expected anyone to freely enter the study of the hot-tempered Marquis. Secondly, they hadn’t anticipated that she would be so beautiful.
Marquis Mu Houchu was not surprised. He noticed the men’s gaze falling on Ji Xinhe, their eyes reflecting their amazement. His cold gaze swept over them, carrying a hint of a warning.
The men quickly averted their eyes, no longer daring to look at her.
Marquis Mu Houchu furrowed his brows, stood up and took Xinhe’s hand, leading her to sit down, "What brings you here abruptly? The men in the study are uncivilized, and you’re pregnant, you need to be careful not to get flustered."
The "uncivilized men" had rigid expressions but didn’t dare to contradict him.
However, Xinhe laughed, "I noticed you’ve been in the study for a while. So, I brought some hot tea. Are you busy?"
"Not busy, I just finished handling everything," Mu Houchu replied softly.
He then turned to the group at the table, "That will be all for today. Dismiss."
The corners of the men’s mouths twitched involuntarily. They had heard of Mu Xiang’s unwavering adoration for his wife. Seeing it firsthand, they realized the rumors were true.
"We will take our leave then." Although they muttered complaints in their hearts, they still showed utter respect on the surface as they exited.
After the study was emptied and the tea set down by Shulan, Xin He asked her to leave too.
Only then did Xin He ask, "Did something happen?"
Marquis Mu Houchu smiled helplessly, "No, nothing happened."
Xin He glared at him, "You never tell me anything. If you continue to do this, I’ll have someone investigate on my own."
Marquis Mu Houchu gently squeezed her hand, "You’re pregnant now. The doctor said you should avoid excessive worry to keep from harming your health. Why bother with these trivial matters?"
"If you don’t let me know, I’ll just keep guessing on my own, which will make me think even more," she retorted, furrowing her brows.
Marquis Mu Houchu found himself at a loss, and reluctantly conceded, "It’s not really a big deal. Do you remember me telling you about the Song Family?"
Xin He was stunned for a moment before nodding, "Of course I remember. They hold significant influence in the court now. They are arguably on par with the Duan Family and are in the grace of the Emperor."
"The Emperor’s favor isn’t easy to win. The young master of the Song family was sent into the palace to be the Crown Prince’s study companion. On the surface, it looks like favoritism, but in reality, it’s a form of manipulation."
"Is there a problem?" She knew this already.
Marquis Mu Houchu’s expression slightly changed before he continued, "Recently, news from the palace reported that the young master of the Song family was suddenly struck with a serious illness, clinging to life, and there even seems to be a risk of transmission. So, they sent him out of the palace. He didn’t stay in the capital for long and was sent directly back to his ancestral home in Yu State to recover."
Xin He froze, "The ancestral home of the Song family in Yu State?"
She thought about the Song family from the prefecture city. They had participated in both fashion shows hosted by the Winding Pavilion and had snatched the best and most coveted goods each time. Even though it was just the second and third branch of the family doing this, it was indicative of the illustrious reputation the main branch must hold in the capital.
But now, the young master of the Song family suddenly fell ill and was sent all the way here to recuperate? To outsiders, it may seem as if he was sent here to quietly pass away.
After a moment of thought, Xin He asked, "What do you think?"
The sudden misfortune that befell the young master of the Song family was far from coincidental; Xin He didn’t buy into that. But who was behind it was uncertain because the possibilities were numerous.
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