Empress Dowager Yi De's decree to bestow marriage could not be said to be insignificant. Even though Xiao Shao was about to go to war, the marriage had already been decided. It was just that Jiang Ruan was not yet out of mourning, so she could not bow to the Heaven and Earth. Nominally, she was still Xiao Shao's woman.
The common people naturally could not see the intricacies of the various relationships. They could only secretly envy the good fortune of the Minister's fu that a daughter could marry into Jinying Wangfu. Although this Jinying Wangs reputation was not very good, how could the common people understand this? Just by looking at the surface, they can see that this so-called rebel and traitor Xiao Wangye is actually a delicious cake in the court. Xiao Shao was the first to have such power at such a young age.
Scholar Jiang Shang's three daughters were all beautiful like flowers and the moon. Although the eldest daughter had been raised in the manor since she was a child, she couldn't stop herself from being outstanding. Later on, she ran into some kind of good luck and became a junzhu. Now, she could be considered to have married into a high position. The status of the Minister's residence would definitely rise along with the tide.
With Jiang Ruan's example, people could not help but ponder about Jiang Su Su's future. To tell the truth, Jiang Su Su had always been known as a peerless beauty in the capital city, and her talent had spread far and wide. If Xia Yan had not met with this mishap, it was likely that the people proposing marriage would have broken down the doorstep. It was just that she had a mother with a bad reputation, so Jiang Su Su was somewhat implicated. Respectable families did not take a liking to her, and there were those who coveted her beauty. Jiang Quan did not take a liking to her family background. Over and over again, her marriage was delayed.
No matter what, it was the Empress Dowager's decree. No matter how sullen and displeased Jiang Quan felt, he had to put on a happy face. Not only that, but he had to do it so that no one could find any fault with it. Empress Dowager Yi De's people were watching, so how could he do anything? Fortunately, he still had a Jieyu flower in this manor. Hong Ying agreed to all of Jiang Ruan's marriage arrangements. She helped to arrange everything inside and out. In addition, with the assistance of Da Yiniang, there was no lack of etiquette. Because of this, Jiang Quan was very satisfied with Hong Ying. Because Hong Ying was still pregnant with the flesh and blood of the Jiang family, he was even more considerate and attentive to her.
Hong Ying was truly considerate of Jiang Ruan. Ever since the Empress Dowager had issued the Empress Dowager's edict, Xiao Shao had yet to pay a visit to the Jiang fu. In terms of etiquette, it wasn't right, but Xiao Shao didn't have parents, so it was impossible for his parents to do it for him. With Xiao Shao's temperament, he felt that it was impossible for him to personally make the trip. If Xiao Shao really did not show up, with Jiang Quan's rank, he would not dare to easily say anything to him.
When Hong Ying brought up this matter, while straightening Jiang Quan's collar, she said, "In any case, Xiao Wangye will eventually come to our fu. This concubine thinks that whether Xiao Wangye will come or not, the etiquette must be thorough. Why not send an invitation to him and invite him to the mansion? Why don't we talk about First Miss' marriage? "
As soon as he thought of this marriage, Jiang Quan felt a headache coming on. Unfortunately, this was a marriage that he could not afford to offend. He replied stiffly, "Do as you see fit."
"This matter should have been done by Furen." Hong Ying lowered her head. "However, Furen is currently recuperating in the manor, so it would not be good to trouble her. I only hope that Xiao Wangye will not despise this concubine for having a low birth and think that it is a disgrace to him.
"What lowly?" As soon as Xia Yan was mentioned, Jiang Quan thought of all those bad things, and his mood became even worse. At once, his tone was not very pleasant as he said, "Now, you are the mistress of the fu. He, Xiao Shao, wants to marry my family's daughter, but Jiang Ruan still occupies the 'Jiang' name, so he must abide by our Jiang family's rules. You can go ahead and send the invitation. It doesn't matter if he doesn't come. After all, word will spread that he is the one who does not know etiquette. Even if this matter were to be reported to the Empress Dowager, he would still be the one in the wrong. "
"Laoye, don't be angry." Hong Ying gently advised, "Xiao Wangye is not a person who does not know etiquette. This concubine will go and make arrangements. In a few days, if Xiao Wangye is willing to visit, this concubine hopes that I can serve you well. After all, First Miss' marriage cannot be neglected, and the Empress Dowager will also personally oversee it. "
"It's only a trivial matter, no need to worry too much." Jiang Ruan frowned, as if she was very unwilling to hear any news about Jiang Ruan. Turning around, she warned Hong Ying, "If you have the leisure time, why don't you worry more about Susu's marriage? Seeing that Susu is about to be married, you are the one attending all the social engagements in the fu. Inquire more about the youths of suitable age in the capital, and choose a good marriage for Susu. "
"Yes, Laoye." A smile floated on Hong Ying's face, but in her heart, she secretly mocked that Jiang Quan's efforts would be wasted. Jiang Su Su was not someone who was easy to deal with. There was no need to think about that talented young man. Jiang Su Su now wholeheartedly wanted to climb into her Brother-in-law's bed. However, now it was convenient for her to act.
…
When the Jiang fu's invitation was handed over to Xiao Shao, Steward Lin paid special attention to Xiao Shao's expression. Seeing that Xiao Shao did not show any signs of movement, he could not help but remind, "Young Master, do you accept this invitation or not?"
"What's the difference?" Xiao Shao sat down in front of the table. In front of him was a map of the territory outside the city of Tian Jin, which was full of markings. The expedition was imminent. This time, the operation was complicated and there was a fear of changes. Everything had to be prepared.
"Aiya, my master, this is very different." Steward Lin anxiously said, "Although this is the Empress Dowager's decree, Young Furen is destined to be the female mistress of our fu. However, this ostentation cannot be ignored. If Furen is still here, she should be going to the Minister's fu to see her daughter-in-law and have a chat with her in-laws. However, we can't find such a person in our fu. Young Master, it's best if you personally go. "
Seeing Xiao Shao raise his eyes to look at him, Steward Lin spoke with even more vigor. "If you go, what does that mean? It means that Young Master values Young Furen. Now that Young Furen is in the Minister's fu, others will look up to her and not dare to easily bully her. Young Master, this old servant will say something. This woman needs to be coaxed. Young Master, do you think that Young Furen is not warm enough to you? This is Young Master's fault. Men always need to take the initiative. Young Master, this time, you are going to support Young Furen. Seeing you like this, Young Furen will definitely be moved. At this moment, Young Master, you can take the opportunity to say a few words to please her. Are you afraid that Young Furen will not be dead set on you? "
Steward Lin's words could not be said not to have touched Xiao Shao's heart. He frowned slightly and looked thoughtfully at the map in front of him, but his expression seemed to be thinking about something else. After a long moment of silence, he nodded and said, "Reply the invitation. In three days, Xiao Shao will pay a visit."
"Alright-" Steward Lin said beautiful words. Seeing that his Young Master was rarely so obedient, he was extremely gratified in his heart. He only secretly said that the child was worth teaching, and then eagerly went out to look for good invitations.
"Take the initiative?" He lowered his head and muttered to himself. His eyelashes drew an intoxicating arc, but his eyes seemed to curve as he smiled.
…
Jiang Ruan was completely unaware of the exchange of invitations between the Minister's fu and Jinying Wang fu. These few days in the Jiang fu, it was a rare moment of leisure. She did not know whether Jiang Quan had specifically instructed them to, but the servants seemed to completely ignore the news of her and Xiao Shao's engagement. They did not come forward to congratulate her, nor did they greet her, as if they were deliberately giving her the cold shoulder.
Every time Bai Zhi and Lian Qiao mentioned this matter, they would naturally have a belly full of anger. In the end, Jiang Ruan was also a daughter of the Jiang family. For Jiang Quan to actually take things to this extent was really somewhat despicable. As Lian Qiao combed Jiang Ruan's hair, she said, "I heard that for the past few days, Second Miss has been running to Fifth Yiniang's courtyard every day, sitting there for the whole afternoon. I really don't know when the two of them had such a friendship. That Fifth Yiniang is really one to burn the bridge after crossing the river. Now, she actually has a falling out with me. The Empress Dowager's decree has been passed down for so long, yet she has not come to ask about it. Even now, I don't know what to do with the dowry and the marriage. "
Originally, the matriarch of the household had to take care of these matters first. If Zhao Mei was still alive, she would have long been so busy these days that her chest would stick to her back. Hong Ying, on the other hand, was idle. Up until now, she had not asked about anything. She could not let her daughter, who was about to get married, ask about these matters herself.
"What wrong did she do? She could have said that she was only a concubine, and that it was not her place to interfere in the marriage of a di daughter. Speaking of which, she was not in the wrong." Jiang Ruan said indifferently, "If anything really happened, the Empress Dowager would not just stand by and watch. She saw this point clearly, so she deliberately did not ask about it. "
In any case, with Empress Dowager Yi De's help, Hong Ying would not be willing to do things that were strenuous and unrewarding. Now that the power of managing the household had fallen into Hong Ying's hands, if Hong Ying really had to fork out money from the public purse for her dowry, Hong Ying would also be unwilling. After tasting the taste of power, how could she easily let it go? Hong Ying was used to the feeling of being high and mighty in the fu. In the face of a di daughter who was of a higher rank than herself, how could she be happy?
"In short, this Fifth Yiniang is not kind. She doesn't even think about it. If it were not for Miss's help, would she be able to live peacefully in the fu, let alone live such a life today? Does she really think that she is pregnant with … "
"Lian Qiao," Jiang Ruan interrupted her, "You have said too much."
Lian Qiao was stunned. Knowing that she had said something wrong, she hurriedly said, "This servant has said something wrong."
Jiang Ruan shook her head, "It's nothing, just don't let anyone hear. Go to the palace and pick out a few bolts of cloth. Later, you and Bai Zhi can embroider some pouches. These days, there are many people coming to the palace, so we cannot neglect the rewards. "
Ever since the Empress Dowager issued the marriage decree, Empress Dowager Yi De had sent some things over from time to time, but they were all jewelry and cloth. Presumably, she felt that these things could be used as a girl getting married. However, Jiang Ruan herself did not care about these things. If Bai Zhi and the others had not mentioned them from time to time, she feared that she would have directly thrown them into a box and never seen the light of day.
Lian Qiao stuck out her tongue and went to pick out the cloth. Lu Zhu, who was embroidering at the side, blinked her eyes and asked, "Miss, when do you plan to start embroidering the wedding dress?"
"Wedding dress?" Jiang Ruan was slightly startled.
"Naturally, it's the wedding dress," Lu Zhu propped up her cheeks and looked at her with a smile, "Don't we always embroider the wedding dress before getting married? Even if the wedding date was postponed to next year, can we start embroidering the wedding dress now? Although Xiao Wangye may send someone to send it over, don't all girls like to embroider their own wedding dress? Xiao Wangye and Miss are both so beautiful. Just thinking about how you will look when you wear the wedding dress, this servant feels that it can dazzle the eyes of the entire capital. "
Her words were delicate and charming, but they caused Jiang Ruan to sink into deep thought. In her previous life, when she was sent to the palace, she naturally did not have the opportunity to become a bride. When she was a young girl, it was not that she had never imagined what she would look like when she wore a phoenix coronet and a red robe, but in her previous life, she had not been able to see that moment. She had never thought about the happiness of ordinary people. In this life, if Xiao Shao had not requested this Empress Dowager's decree, she would not have thought about what it would be like to get married.
If she were to marry someone else, perhaps she would still be able to treat them coldly. However, when the other party became Xiao Shao, her heart felt somewhat strange. The wedding dress was embroidered for the beloved to wear. What position did Xiao Shao have in her heart now, Jiang Ruan herself had never thought about it. It was probably beyond friendship, but they were not yet lovers, and were probably still a little bit away.
But that little bit was separated by a deep knot in her heart, and she did not know whether she would ever be able to untie it in this lifetime. Thinking about it this way, she felt a faint sense of guilt towards Xiao Shao.
"Let's talk about it when we have free time." She shook her head, but she was somewhat absent-minded. Lu Zhu saw that she was absent-minded, so she did not ask any more questions and obediently continued with the work at hand.
…
Xiao Shao really did come to the Jiang fu three days later. There was only him and Housekeeper Lin. Xiao Shao was dressed in an ink-black brocade robe with a floral scabbard embroidered on the collar with a thin green bamboo leaf embroidery. A dark golden Qilin was still hooked on his wrist guard, baring its fangs and brandishing its claws, appearing extremely formidable. When he entered the fu, his expression was indifferent, and his eyes were like cold stars, causing people to not dare to look directly at him. They only felt that his body carried a biting cold air, and his domineering aura was restrained, yet it was low and ostentatious in the dark.
The maidservant who led the way blushed, but did not dare to raise her head to look at this young man's handsome facial features. From beginning to end, she lowered her head and led the way without saying a word. Along the way, all the maidservants and palace maids who passed by looked at him absent-mindedly. Naturally, Housekeeper Lin was extremely proud, and she straightened her back with a proud expression.
When he arrived at the main hall, he saw that Hong Ying and Eldest Yiniang were already waiting for him. Hong Ying bowed to Xiao Shao with the help of a maidservant, a cordial smile on her face, "This concubine greets Wangye. Furen is currently not in the fu, so this lowly concubine helps to take care of the internal affairs. I hope that Wangye does not mind this concubine's rudeness. "
Xiao Shao gave a faint 'en' sound, and sat down on the chair that had been prepared for him. Housekeeper Lin stood to one side, and without waiting for Xiao Shao to speak, he said with a smile, "Fifth Yiniang does not need to be polite. Since it is Young Furen's maiden family, it is not too much. Master does not have so many rules, just do as you please. "
Housekeeper Lin smiled amiably, but every word he said was not amiable at all. Although it was said that there were no rules, in fact, he was putting on airs that were bigger than anything else. Eldest Yiniang stood to one side without saying a word, but the surrounding maidservants could see that the situation was not right. This master and servant of Jinying Wangfu did not come with good intentions. They were afraid that they had specially come to support Eldest Young Miss. Immediately, they lowered their heads even more, and only wanted to not attract attention.
The smile on Hong Ying's face stiffened. In the end, she was born in the marketplace, so she was better at dealing with people. But in a short moment, she restored her amiable and natural smile, "That could not be better. Eldest Young Miss is our fu's di daughter, so Master is very distressed. Now seeing Wangye love Eldest Young Miss so much, Master will also be very happy to know. "
Xiao Shao did not answer, so Housekeeper Lin said, "Furen's words are too polite. Since the Empress Dowager has issued a decree, Young Furen is the female master of our fu, so she must be loved by Master. Today, in addition to this matter, Master also ordered this old servant to send the betrothal gift list over. After Young Furen marries into the family, the betrothal gift will be sent to Young Furen together with the dowry. Empress Dowager has also taken a look at this. "Finishing, he took out a gold silk patterned gift list from his sleeve and handed it over to Hong Ying.
When Hong Ying first heard Housekeeper Lin's words, her heart was happy, but when she heard the second half of his words, her face turned green. When she opened the betrothal gift list, her face turned from red to white, white to red, it could be said to be extremely wonderful. After a moment, she closed the gift list, took a deep breath, and said with a forced smile, "Wangye really loves Eldest Young Miss, this gift list can't be said to be not rich. Seeing this, this concubine is also sincerely happy for Eldest Young Miss."
As she said this, her hand used a lot of strength, almost twisting the gift list into pieces. In fact, Hong Ying came from a brothel. What kind of place was a brothel? It was a place to squander money. What kind of wastrel had she not seen? Hong Ying had seen a lot of people spend a lot of money for a beautiful woman, so she was not as short-sighted as Second YiNiang when it came to gold, silver, and jewels. But now, seeing the betrothal gift list sent by Jinying Wang fu, she couldn't help but suck in a breath of cold air.
Rare treasures, rare beasts, houses and shops, gold and silver notes. Countless riches, countless jewels. Just a small betrothal gift list was enough to let people see the tip of the iceberg of riches in Jinying Wang fu. Even though Hong Ying could be considered experienced and knowledgeable, at this moment, she couldn't help but be dazzled by this riches and honor. In her heart, she was secretly jealous of Jiang Ruan.
More importantly, this scalding riches and honor had flown away before she could even get her hands on them. Xiao Shao's words were very clear. This betrothal gift was to be given to Jiang Ruan, and Empress Dowager Yi De was also clear about it. This meant that she wouldn't even have the chance to intervene. Originally, she had wanted to fish for some benefits from Jiang Ruan's betrothal gift, but now, she had to watch this riches and honor slip away from her hands. It must be known that this betrothal gift alone was worth several manors. How could she be willing?
The more unwilling she was, the more determined Hong Ying was to send Jiang Su Su to Jinying Wang fu. Jiang Ruan was not easy to grasp, but Jiang Su Su could distinguish who was in charge of the Jiang fu. If she could control Jiang Su Su, when she entered Jinying Wang fu, this riches and honor would continuously flow into the Minister's fu. At that time, the days of the Minister's fu would become more and more comfortable.
Hong Ying made up her mind, and her smile became a little more fervent. Only Housekeeper Lin frowned and looked at the somewhat deformed gift list that Hong Ying was clutching and said, "Yiniang, be careful. There is only one copy of this gift list besides the Empress Dowager's. If it is damaged, I'm afraid it will be very troublesome."
"It was this concubine's carelessness." Hong Ying awkwardly smiled apologetically. Housekeeper Lin then said, "I don't know where Young Madam is. She should come out and meet with Prince."
Hong Ying smiled slightly, "Eldest Miss will naturally come out, but girls are always shy. I'm afraid that she is currently dressing up. Just now, this concubine has already sent someone to inform Eldest Miss that she will go to the tea hall in the garden. Lin Lang, bring Prince over first. You young people always have some things to talk about. Moreover, the Empress Dowager has just bestowed a marriage, so it is good to get to know each other earlier. "Her words were astute and magnanimous, completely different from those pedantic aristocratic families. However, Xiao Shao's expression did not change, and he continued to look at her indifferently.
In the face of such an expressionless person, no matter how glib one's tongue was, one would still feel somewhat powerless. However, today, Housekeeper Lin seemed to have specially come to speak up for Xiao Shao. He immediately smiled and said, "That couldn't be any better. Please quickly lead the way." Nowadays, Jinying Wang fu treated Xiao Shao's marriage as a top priority. His master's skill in wooing a wife was not enough, so he naturally had to contribute as a subordinate. Housekeeper Lin always wished that he could create opportunities for Xiao Shao and Jiang Ruan to be alone at all times. Housekeeper Lin was very satisfied that Hong Ying was so tactful.
"Housekeeper Lin has misunderstood," Hong Ying covered her lips and smiled, "This concubine still has some matters regarding the wedding celebration to discuss with Housekeeper Lin. Seeing that Wang Ye has also handed over the marriage to Housekeeper Lin to manage, this concubine still wishes to have a good discussion with Housekeeper Lin. If Housekeeper Lin does not mind, then please stay here and discuss things with this concubine. " She looked towards Xiao Shao and said with a smile, "As for Eldest Young Miss and Wang Ye, it will be more convenient for the two of you to talk."
If he had not known that everyone in the Jiang fu was a shrewd person, Housekeeper Lin would have almost praised Hong Ying as an educated and reasonable beauty. Nothing could be better for the two of them to be alone. When Housekeeper Lin was young, he had followed the old Jinying Wang and had also learned to have an unruly and hedonistic temperament. He simply did not care about worldly laws. Therefore, in his eyes, the rules of the aristocratic families regarding men and women were all fleeting clouds. Moreover, now that Empress Dowager Yi De had already decreed that Jiang Ruan would be the Young Madam. There was no need for the Young Madam and the Young Master to avoid arousing suspicion when they spoke. When a man and a woman stayed together, they needed to be alone. If they were alone a few more times, sparks would fly, and they might even get pregnant.
"That's also not bad. Master, what do you think — —" Housekeeper Lin looked towards Xiao Shao inquiringly, his eyes full of expectation.
Xiao Shao did not disappoint Housekeeper Lin's expectations and lightly nodded his head, "Alright."
Hong Ying's smile became more sincere, "Lin Lang, quickly lead Wang Ye over."
Lin Lang obediently walked over and bowed towards Xiao Shao, "Wang Ye, please follow this servant."
…
Xiao Shao followed Lin Lang through the Jiang fu's courtyard and flower terrace, bypassing a long corridor until they arrived at a tea hall in the garden. This tea hall was located in the middle of the forest, hidden under the trees, and the environment was quiet and secluded. If one was tired from staying here, they could go in to rest, sip some tea, and rest for a while. It was also an excellent place to stay. Thinking about it, it should be an extremely exquisitely renovated place in the Jiang fu. The area it occupied was also quite spacious. From afar, one would think that it was the courtyard of some family's daughter.
Lin Lang did not speak along the way and only focused on leading the way. As a result, she ignored Xiao Shao's gaze. His expression was calm, but he had already sized up the place without batting an eyelid. This was not the first time that Xiao Shao had entered this Jiang fu. The previous few times he had had the opportunity to come here, he had almost completely figured out the ins and outs of the Jiang fu. Moreover, Jin Er and Jin San were keeping an eye on it. He had also seen the map of the Jiang fu presented to him, so he naturally knew that this was a tea hall.
This tea hall was usually not used to entertain guests. On the contrary, although the environment was quiet and secluded, it was too far from the courtyards of the various womenfolk. Ever since Xia Yan had left, very few people had come here to drink tea.
However, Hong Ying had arranged for him to meet Jiang Ruan in this place.
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