CHAPTER 390: CHAPTER 392: PERSONNEL MATTERS (5)

Madam Jiang sighed, "No!" She paused and added, "I’ve kept this from Father. I’ll visit Third Lady after Father leaves."

Tong Xiyan sneered, "Look at the marriage she jumped up and down to get back then; she deserves this now." With that, she took an angry sip of tea.

"Sister-in-law," Xiqiu frowned and asked, "Does Mother know about this?"

Madam Jiang looked at Xiqiu and nodded slightly.

Judging by her expression, it seemed Lady wasn’t too concerned either. Xiqiu said nothing, so Madam Jiang thought for a moment and said, "Is Fourth Lady and Sixth Lady free tomorrow?"

Tong Xiyan hesitated for a moment, looking at Xiqiu’s reaction. Xiqiu thought it over and finally nodded, "I’ll go with Sister-in-law tomorrow." Hearing Xiqiu’s decision to go, Tong Xiyan reluctantly added, "I’ll ask my husband when I get back, and if I’m going, I’ll have Mama return to tell Sister-in-law."

Madam Jiang nodded immediately and replied, "I’ll come to pick you up early tomorrow morning."

Xiqiu had no objections. On the carriage ride home, Xiqiu sat with a downcast expression, seeming a bit glum. Fourth Master Xiao, thinking it was because of First Master leaving, gently comforted her, "It’s only a few months; your father will return to the capital soon. If you’re worried, write to him often."

"It’s not about that," Xiqiu shook her head and sighed, explaining Tong Xiyang’s situation to Fourth Master Xiao, "The first three months are the most unstable, and I hear Third Young Master Ren often hits hard..."

Fourth Master Xiao’s face darkened. He had not been in contact with Ren Jun for a long time and had grown unaware of his increasingly misbehaving ways in recent years.

"Fourth Master," she smiled at Fourth Master Xiao, "...I want to go to the Ren Mansion with Sister-in-law tomorrow."

"Go ahead," Fourth Master Xiao nodded in agreement, "If your side lacks medicinal materials, feel free to fetch some from the storeroom." Xiqiu nodded and agreed.

That evening, Xiqiu asked Chunliu to prepare the items to be taken to the Ren Mansion. After washing up, she climbed into bed but couldn’t fall asleep. She eventually sat up, lit the lamp, intending to read a few pages of the "Four People’s Monthly Orders," when Fourth Master Xiao turned and saw her, "Can’t sleep?"

Xiqiu nodded and replied, "Hmm, I want to read for a while. Fourth Master, you can go to sleep first." Saying this, Xiqiu turned to shield the light from the lamp.

Knowing what was on her mind, Fourth Master Xiao sat up as well. Xiqiu took a pillow to prop him up, and Fourth Master Xiao naturally held her in his arms, "Tomorrow, I’ll go with you."

Xiqiu was taken aback, looking up at Fourth Master Xiao, "Aren’t you off tomorrow, Fourth Master?" Fourth Master Xiao raised his eyebrows and replied, "No matter, you all go ahead, I’ll go to the Ren Mansion directly after court."

With him there, Xiqiu inexplicably felt more confident.

The child of Tong Xiyang was lost due to Ren Jun’s beating, but the Ren Mansion only sent a nanny to report the news, without saying much else, due to the disparity in status between the two houses. Today, Madam Jiang asking whether they were free was more about going to the Ren Mansion with two aunts married into high-status families to reinforce the conversation with more confidence.

And to remind the Ren Mansion that although the Tong Mansion was merely the residence of a fifth-rank official, the young ladies married well.

Going to support Tong Xiyang.

It’s just unclear whether Tong Xiyang would appreciate Madam Jiang’s goodwill!

"You should sleep early," Fourth Master Xiao patted her head, "You’ve been tired these past few days. Housekeeper Hu said that several accompanying rooms have been moved over?" Xiqiu listened and nodded, "There’s one room from Shandong that hasn’t returned yet."

Jin Dairui had been away for over ten days without sending back any news. Xiqiu often wondered if the land in Shandong was inferior to that in Tongzhou.

The next morning, she went to pay respects to the Grand Dowager and mentioned Tong Xiyang, "I heard there was a miscarriage. I want to go take a look."

The Grand Dowager showed a look of regret, "How many months along was she? How did it result in a miscarriage just like that?" Xiqiu sighed, "I heard she accidentally fell. The exact details are unknown; only a nanny came to report it."

"Go then, talk to her. She’s still young and can have more children in the future. The important thing is to take good care of her health," the Grand Dowager’s eyes briefly flickered, then she sighed and nodded.

Xiqiu nodded, "I’ll be back in the afternoon."

The Grand Dowager instructed Nanny Wu, "Wrap some angelica and ginseng for Fourth Madam to bring with her." Nanny Wu smiled in agreement, went to the storeroom, and handed it to Chunliu to put on the carriage.

While speaking, Madam Jiang arrived and greeted the Grand Dowager, who asked Madam Jiang, "Is Lady’s health improving?"

Madam Jiang replied, "It’s the same as before, no improvement."

"This kind of illness can’t be rushed; it takes time to recover," the Grand Dowager said.

Madam Jiang agreed, and the Grand Dowager urged them, "Go on, go early and return early. It’s said there will be snow this afternoon."

Xiqiu and Madam Jiang stood up, bid farewell to the Grand Dowager, and went out to get on the carriage.

As soon as the carriage set off, Madam Jiang’s face darkened and she said to Xiqiu, "Yesterday, just after you left, a maid from Third Lady’s side returned to the mansion, saying she bribed the gatekeeper and snuck back... Her face was injured and she kept crying."

Xiqiu was startled and asked, "What did she say? How did it come to blows?"

Madam Jiang said, "She said Third Young Master Ren saw blood under Third Lady’s skirt, but he still dragged her by the hair and wouldn’t let go. He even kicked her, and Third Lady fainted right then. The maid tried to intervene but was hit by fragments of a teapot Third Young Master Ren threw, cutting her face."

Madam Jiang paused and continued, "It was said that it was late when Third Lady returned, and she said a few words. Third Young Master Ren, displeased, went to rest in his concubine’s room. Third Lady got angry and said some harsh words, and that’s when Third Young Master Ren got angry and hit her!"

Tong Xiyang was always considerate, showing respect to those above and care to those below. She even took good care of concubines and children of lower status. How could something like this cause her to quarrel with Ren Jun? It wasn’t like her at all.

Madam Jiang didn’t know the details either and would have to wait until they reached the Ren Mansion to find out.

The carriage traveled down Long Street for about the time it takes to drink two cups of tea before reaching the side gate of the Wujin Bo Mansion. Tong Xiyan’s carriage was waiting at the mouth of the alley. The two carriages drove into the inner courtyard of the Ren Mansion, where a nanny was waiting by the second door to lead them on sedan chairs into the inner courtyard.

The sedan chairs stopped outside the courtyard of the Countess. Supported by Chunliu, Xiqiu got off the sedan and saw First Young Madam Ren emerge with a warm smile, "I heard you were coming, so Mother sent me to wait here, finally looking forward to seeing our dear sister-in-law and dear aunt."

Madam Jiang smiled and walked over politely, "What an honor to have First Young Madam greet us personally." Laughing, she asked, "Where’s the child?" First Young Madam Ren had just given birth to a legitimate son.

Speaking of the child, First Young Madam Ren’s smile grew brighter, "It’s windy today, so it wouldn’t be right to bring him out. His father is with him inside." Madam Jiang nodded repeatedly.