CHAPTER 289: CHAPTER 289: PROPOSAL (PART 1)

Xiao Yanyi was not in the mansion and happened to run into Fourth Master Xiao returning from outside. After a chat, Fourth Master Xiao, contrary to his usual aloof detachment, enthusiastically told First Master that they should wait for two days, a result would naturally emerge!

Sure enough, two days later, though it was unclear what means Fourth Master Xiao used, Second Master’s exile of two thousand miles was reduced to two hundred miles, with the departure scheduled for half a month later... Xiqiu didn’t need to delve into the Great Zhou Geography, as the two hundred miles of exile to the south didn’t even reach Dengzhou.

In any case, this was already the best outcome, and Second Master could be considered to have narrowly escaped death.

Afterward, First Master personally brought a gift to the Marquis Mansion to express his gratitude. After a warm reception from Fourth Master Xiao, not only did he not accept First Master’s gift, but the next day he returned the favor and sent an aide with a message saying that Fourth Master would personally visit tomorrow to make a request of First Master!

First Master was astonished when he heard this, wondering what matter could make the First Rank Left Governor come to make a request?

As the situation stabilized, everyone’s tense nerves relaxed after several days, and the city gradually returned to its former bustling and lively state.

"Miss, you should have seen how imposing Fourth Master Xiao looked when he led the troops into the city, clad in golden armor, sitting high on a horse like... like a heavenly soldier descending from the sky, making people feel awe-struck!" Siliu, holding her eldest son, sat beside Xiqiu, brushing away her son’s constantly tugging on her hair, and spoke with excitement, "Entering through Qinghe Gate, they rode through the entire Capital to outside the Imperial Palace, and when over a thousand men dismounted in unison, the synchronized movement and the deafening sound of their clothing rustling were truly exhilarating to witness!"

Siliu clicked her tongue in admiration a few more times, and Xiqiu looked at her and asked, "Why bring so many people into the city? Was there something important?" Moreover, they went directly to the palace gates, which showed that Ren Zong had great trust in Fourth Master Xiao.

"They say it was escorting someone... or maybe detaining someone, I can’t quite remember." These details weren’t in Siliu’s gossip realm. She leaned in towards Xiqiu and whispered mysteriously, "Later, someone recognized that the armor Fourth Master Xiao wore was the same one the Marquis wore when he went on campaign to Fujian."

Xiqiu’s brow twitched. Back then, Xiao Yanzhi wore that war robe when he left the city but didn’t return safely, leaving his life in Fujian. The unfinished business he left behind was fulfilled by Fourth Master Xiao... To Fourth Master Xiao, wearing that armor deliberately was precisely for this purpose, wasn’t it!

The Xiao Family had always harbored resentment over Xiao Yanzhi’s death... It wasn’t until days later that Xiqiu learned that what Fourth Master Xiao sent to the palace was one of the lieutenants who had survived the campaign with Xiao Yanzhi in Fujian. Initially, everyone thought he had died, but he had actually survived a shipwreck and was rescued by local fishermen.

Fourth Master Xiao brought him back, waiting for the day he could reveal the true culprit behind it all to the world!

"Don’t move!" Siliu slapped the eldest’s hand away when he tried to grab the coral pearl bracelet on Xiqiu’s wrist, chiding him, "Restless all day, moving without stopping for a moment, be careful, or I’ll throw you to the wolves!"

The eldest boy pouted, looking like he was about to cry.

"Don’t frighten the child!" Xiqiu laughed and handed the bracelet to the boy, "Let him play with it." She watched with a smile as the boy immediately stopped crying, took it quickly, and without thinking, put it into his mouth. She was startled and quickly held the bracelet down, frowning, "You can’t eat this; if a bead falls into your mouth, that would be troublesome!"

The eldest boy watched Xiqiu with furrowed brows, as she took back the prize in hand, and with a blink, he started to cry loudly. Xiqiu wanted to comfort him, but Siliu, afraid of disturbing her, hurriedly took him outside: "I’ll soothe him outside." As she lifted the curtain to exit, she saw Daihe from Lady’s quarters quickly retreating from the doorway. Curious, Siliu carried the child over, but Daihe had already rushed into the small path in the bamboo grove, disappearing from sight.

"What are you looking at?" Chunliu happened to return from outside the courtyard and noticed Siliu looking around. She reached out to take the crying boy, gently comforting him. Siliu turned to her and said, "I just saw Daihe acting suspiciously at the doorway but not coming in, and she ran off when she saw me!"

Chunliu didn’t care and laughed, "Don’t mind her; maybe she’s hoping to ask Miss for something but is too shy to speak!" When the Lady was well, Daihe was seemingly amiable yet proud, never taking Sixth Miss seriously all along. Now that the Lady was ill, and the affairs of the house were in the hands of Miss, she wants to lower herself, but her pride won’t allow it. Every time she sees Miss, there’s something she wants to say but doesn’t voice it, expecting Miss to ask her about it, yet Miss acts as if she’s unaware...

She’s as anxious as a cat on hot bricks. For instance, the other day, Nanny Fang wanted to make bird’s nest porridge for the Lady, but with the bird’s nest in the room used up, Nanny Fang went to the storeroom to get more, only to be blocked by the indifferent housekeeper. Furious, Nanny Fang cursed outside the main courtyard for half the day, but the Sixth Miss pretended not to hear. Nanny Fang grew bored and returned to her room. In the afternoon, Daihe went to the Zhiqu Courtyard to collect a token, but the Sixth Miss was calculating the household accounts with Nanny Lai and Nanny Qian. Daihe waited outside for an hour, but no one came to acknowledge her.

Unable to bring herself to plead with Sixth Miss, she left in a huff. That evening, it was the Fourth Miss who took the token to get bird’s nest for the Lady.

She knew it was just a few taels of bird’s nest, and Sixth Miss didn’t really have to act this way. It wouldn’t harm her, but people like that need to be shown authority; otherwise, they might think Sixth Miss is still a soft target, to be pinched at will!

Siliu pursed her lips and, with a mocking expression, remarked, "Previously, with the Lady’s support, her nose was always high in the air, and asking her for anything was impossible. Seeing her like this now is truly satisfying!" With that, she exchanged a glance with Chunliu, and they both burst into laughter!

Just as they were chatting, they saw Madam Xia, supported by Xiuzhi, walking up the path. Chunliu and Siliu went to greet her, bowing, "Madam!"

Madam Xia wore a plain white overcoat, with only a Feifeng hairpin adorned with almost red stones and matching earrings, adding a touch of elegance though more enchanting than usual. She smiled, "Siliu’s here!" She reached out to caress the face of the eldest, smiling, "This child truly is charming." Saying this, she removed the red gold bracelet from her wrist, "I don’t have anything interesting here, so take this bracelet and play with it!"

Siliu was taken aback and quickly said, "This can’t be allowed!" The bracelet seemed to weigh two or three taels, and she was about to snatch it from the boy’s hand, but Madam Xia smiled and waved, "For so many years, I’ve regarded you and Sixth Miss as my own daughters. This child is born by you and is also my nephew. Giving it to him brings me joy!"

Once again obtaining something interesting but at risk of losing it, the boy clutched it even tighter than before. Siliu looked helpless, but hearing Madam Xia’s words, she could only hold her son while bowing to Madam Xia.