Seeing that Qiu Shi was talking with increasing vigour, Yuxi subtly changed the subject, "Speaking of which, Dajie and Er Jie are both fifteen this year. So it's almost time for them to settle on their marriages, right?"
Qiu Shi nodded and said, "I've got my eye on two, but I haven't decided which one yet!" One of them was the third son of the left assistant minister of the Ministry of Justice, Xiang Zhixue, the fourth in line in the Xiang family, who was also Yuru's husband in her previous life; the other person was Zeng Kezhou, the eldest shu son of Garrison Commander of Garrison Military Camp, Zeng Daren.
Yuxi did not understand why Qiu Shi had chosen the Fourth Young Master Xiang in the past, but she was surprised to hear about the situation of the Zeng family. "The eldest shu son? They don't have a di son?" Only when there was no first di son that the eldest shu son was allowed to be born. Otherwise, this would be a case of favouring the concubine and doing away with the wife. If it were the case of favouring the concubine and doing away with the wife, then this family would not last long.
Qiu Shi shook her head as she explained, "The Zeng family had an eldest di son. But, he had an accident when he was thirteen years old. Madam Zeng also passed away for being extremely sad about his passing. After two years, Zeng Daren took a second wife. This second wife of his had just given birth to a son in the middle of this year." Without the eldest di son around, Zeng Kezhou was naturally promoted as the family eldest son.
After listening to this, Yuxi didn't feel Zeng Kezhou was someone that Qiu Shi would personally pick. "Who actually has taken a fancy on this Zeng Kezhou? It won't be Er Ge, right?" Dage wouldn't have contact with this kind of person. However, Er Ge was likely to be on good terms with people like Zeng Kezhou.
When Qiu Shi heard Yuxi's inquiry, she couldn't help smiling, "It was your Er Ge who has taken a fancy on him. One of your Er Ge's friends is very close to Childe Zeng like a brother. With frequent contact, your Er Ge and Childe Zeng Kezhou have gotten familiar with each other. When your Er Ge knows that the Childe Zeng was not yet engaged to anyone, your Er Ge brought out his name as one of the marriage candidates."
Yuxi asked, "In that case, this Young Master Zeng is currently not holding any government official post?"
Qiu Shi shook her head and answered, "No, he just filled a position last month, and now he's a lower seventh rank officer." A lower seventh rank officer was not much in the capital. However, Qiu Shi heard from Han Jianye that this man had many potentials, so she wavered a little.
Yuxi suddenly smiled. "The Fourth Childe Xiang is not holding any government official post, while Young Master Zeng is an officer. But Childe Xiang is a di son and has a good family background. While for the Zeng family, it is somewhat complicated since he was a shu son. Both of them have their advantage and disadvantage."
It was only because each of the two families had its advantages and disadvantages, which made Qiu Shi became this indecisive.
Yuxi smiled and suggested, "Eldest Aunt, I think you should ask Dajie for her opinion on this. After all, she will have to live with one of these people for a lifetime. It is good to ask for her opinion." If her Dajie wanted a stable and peaceful life, she should choose Fourth Childe Xiang. If she wanted to live as a wealthy and high-ranking titled lady, she should pick Zeng Kezhou.
Qiu Shi was originally going to ask the Old Lady's opinion. Nonetheless, after hearing what Yuxi said, she thought it would be good to ask Yuru's opinion. "Okay, I will talk to your Dajie later. Regarding your matter, you don't have to worry about it. It will be settled within these two days."
Before Yuxi went back, Qiu Shi urged her, "Don't read books all the time. If you have nothing to do, you can come out more and take a stroll. You can also come to accompany me by chatting with me. Or you can spend time chatting with Yuru and the other girls." Qiu Shi couldn't understand how Yuxi could stay in her study all day and night just by reading books. What was the point of her reading so many books when she didn't even need to take the zhuangyuan examination?
Yuxi smiled and responded, "I'm afraid that if I come more often, Eldest Aunt will resent me." When it came to something she had no way to agree on, the best way was by changing the subject. [+]
Qiu Shi said, "How dare you say such things to your aunt. You really deserve a beating." After saying that, she made a gesture to hit Yuxi a few times.
They joked and laughed for a while before Yuxi went back.
Qiu Shi restrained her smile, called over Mama Li, and told her to check on Maidong's family at once. Then she turned around and instructed Liuyue to invite Yuru over.
When Yuru came over, Qiu Shi told her all about the Xiang and Zeng families clearly and understandably.
When Yuru heard Qiu Shi's words, her face turned a little red. She bowed her head and said, "I will listen to Mother's orders and matchmaker's words for my marriage affairs."
Qiu Shi laughed as she elaborated, "The Fourth Young Master Xiang is not very successful in his studies, and in all likelihood, he will have to abandon the path of being an official in the future. The Zeng family's eldest young master is not bad in martial arts and is somewhat a scholar, so your Er Ge said his prospects are not bad. If you choose the Xiang family, you will have a stable and prosperous life, but the fourth young master will have limited prospects; if you choose the Zeng family, the Zeng family second wife is not going to simplify matters. In addition, Young Master Zeng has joined the military, and there will always be a danger while he is in the military. Both families have their advantages and disadvantages."
Yuru, who was listening, was also at a loss.
For such a great event in Yuru's life, Qiu Shi didn't expect Yuru to give her an answer right away, "Go back and think about it first. You have three days to think about it." Yuru's good behaviour and obedience towards her for the past two years made Qiu Shi took a lot of trouble by expending a great deal of her effort for Yuru's marriage. As for Yujing, she wouldn't be bothered to think too much.
Yuru was so moved that she said, "Because of my affairs, I have made Mother suffer."
Qiu Shi was in a good mood right now. She said with a smile, "As long as you live a beautiful life in the future, it will not waste my hard work."
It was also at this time that the matter of Maidong's family had been checked out.
Qiu Shi told Yuxi about the results of the investigation. After she had finished telling Yuxi, she cursed, "How dare they go as far as eating from inside and then steal for others. They even sell you just for some money."
Yuxi's face also became very ugly. She originally thought that someone from Maidong's family had done something illegal and got ill-gotten wealth. Still, she didn't expect them to betray her by exchanging her information for money.
When Qiu Shi saw Yuxi's expression, she recommended, "This maid should never be kept any longer. You should hand her over to Mama Cao!" Mama Cao specialised in dealing with maids who had made mistakes.
Yuxi thought for a moment and then stated, "I'll hand her over to Mama Cao later." As for what happened to Maidong's family, Yuxi didn't even bother to ask. A servant who betrayed his master would never end up well. And there was no way she, too, would make an exception for Maidong.
Back in Taoran House, Yuxi instructed Kufu, "Go and call Maidong over."
Maidong was cleaning her bedroom when she heard Yuxi calling for her. She put down her chicken feather duster and immediately walked over. When she noticed Yuxi's gloomy face, Maidong panicked a little in her heart, "Miss..."
Yuxi looked at Maidong and asked, "Do you know about the matter of your mother selling my information to Qingyang Gongzhu's Mansion?" In fact, from what Yuxi could guess from Maidong's temperament, she should not know about this matter.
These words, like thunder in a clear sky over Maidong's head, really frightened her. "Miss, what are you talking about?" Why did her Miss say that her mother had sold her information to Gongzhu's Mansion?
When Zisu and Kufu, standing next to her, heard these words, they were also shocked. Who didn't know the feud between the State Residence, Qingyang Gongzhu's Mansion and the Qiao family? For Maidong's family to even dared to sell their Miss' information to Qingyang Gongzhu's Mansion, wasn't it the same as courting after death?
Kufu looked at Maidong and asked instead, "Miss, could there be a mistake? Although Maidong's mother has always been eccentric, she is not so unreasonable."
Yuxi swept a glance at Kufu, who immediately turned pale from fear and in turn, she did not dare not say another word. [+]
Zisu was a bit more daring as she asked, "Miss, what is going on? How could Maidong's mother have colluded with the people of Gongzhu's Mansion?" Even if she was damned, her Miss had to make the matter clear to Maidong.
Yuxi didn't tell them the exact process of knowing about the matter, and she didn't need to explain it clearly to them. "Eldest Aunt’s people had found out this matter. Two hundred taels of silver tickets and more than two hundred taels worth of gold and silver jewellery had been recovered from her house." As for the fact that Maidong's mother would never admit to betraying her master even if she died, there was no need for Yuxi to bring it out. As long as there was sufficient evidence, it no longer mattered whether she admitted doing it or not.
When Maidong heard this, she fell to the ground in shock and muttered, "How could this happen? How could my mother do such a thing?"
Seeing this situation, Kufu immediately knelt on the ground and started to beg, "Miss, Maidong will never betray Miss. It must be Maidong's mother who was talking nonsense. This matter must have nothing to do with Maidong Jiejie."
Yuxi looked at Maidong and ordered, "Speak for yourself."
When Kufu looked at the dumbfounded Maidong, she hurried over and pinched her hand while saying, "Maidong, tell Miss that you have nothing to do with this matter. You haven't said anything about Miss to your mother, right?" As long as Maidong didn't reveal anything about Miss, there was still a chance for Maidong to remedy the situation.
Only then did Maidong come back to her senses and confessed in tears, "Miss, my mother did ask me about Miss, but I just told her that Miss liked to read books. When Miss was tired from reading, Miss would play chess or do embroidery work, or Miss would go and talk to the Third Miss. Other than that, I didn't say anything." All these things that Maidong said were not secrets. Not to mention the people in the Taoran House knew about them, even the people in the State Residence knew. If that was all that was said, Maidong had not turned her back on her Master.
Yuxi didn't say a word.
Kufu also knelt on the ground and helped Maidong to plead for mercy, "Miss, Maidong will never betray Miss. I beg Miss to be clear." Once Maidong was given the reputation of betraying her master, it would be a dead-end for her.
Maidong cried as she begged, "The girl has treated this handmaiden with debts of gratitude as weighty as a mountain. How can this handmaiden be ungrateful? Miss, this handmaiden didn't do anything that will let Miss down." If Miss didn't even leave her a glimpse of hope, then her only way was for her to die.
Yuxi also believed that Maidong had not betrayed her, as she had not done anything overstepping her daily work, and yet, there was nothing more for her to say to Maidong. "Go and pack your things! Mama Cao will come over soon." Even if Maidong had not done anything wrong, she could no longer stay by her side.
Who in residence didn't know what Mama Cao's function was? Even if Maidong was stupid, she knew that once she was in Mama Cao's hands, she would be tenaciously treated even though she wouldn't die. She knelt and kowtowed, "I beg Miss to spare my life. I'm really innocent."
Yuxi asked Kufu to help Maidong up and then said, "Whether you were wrongly accused or not, your family is involved with the people of Gongzhu's Mansion, so I can't keep you here anymore. Mama Cao will be here soon, so you should bring whatever you can!"
Maidong looked like dying embers.
Zisu gave a wink and asked Kufu to help Maidong back to her room, then she asked Yuxi, "Miss, there is no room to turn around, is there?" After being together for so many years, she couldn't bear to see Maidong ended up in such a state.
Yuxi glanced at Zisu and replied, "Eldest Aunt already decided it. Besides, without rules, nothing can be done." The latter sentence was the real reason why she wanted to punish Maidong. If she didn't punish Maidong for such a significant matter, her underlings would draw a dipper with a gourd as one's model, and when the time came, wouldn't it turn things upside down?
Zisu pointed out, "Maidong was implicated because of her parent."
Yuxi just responded, "That's also her fate." One couldn't even stand up for oneself for having such bad parents, and thus one couldn't blame anyone else for even getting implicated.
PS (Author): Guess what's going to happen to Maidong.
borrowing the author's question from the last chapter
Tags:
The Rebirth of Han Yuxi