Lady of Fortune, Jiao Niang

Chapter 102

In the Qi family's reception hall, Liu Shi looked at the visiting Lu family matriarch with a warm smile.

The Lu family's wife was surnamed Wu, originally a merchant's daughter, and she had old acquaintance with Liu Shi.

After they grew up, Liu Shi married into the Qi family, while Lady Wu married into the Lu family as a second wife.

However, since Lady Wu took charge of the Lu family, she had become particularly disdainful of people from merchant backgrounds. Having a clan member who served as Privy Council Direct Scholar, Lady Wu always considered herself among the scholarly elite and thought highly of herself.

Usually at flower-viewing tea gatherings hosted by the Qi family, Lady Wu never attended, nor did she often let her daughter go.

Now this was the first time the two had met since their respective marriages.

Liu Shi smiled warmly, her voice gentle: "It's been so long since we've met. How is Fifth Lady doing these days?"

"Everything is fine. But Third Lady, you look much more haggard than before." Lady Wu also wore a smile, turning the brocade handkerchief in her hand, her eyes looking at Liu Shi with particular concern.

Standing beside Liu Shi, Nanny Liu didn't have the same good composure as her mistress and felt her eyebrows twitching.

Speaking of appearance, Liu Shi had been a first-class beauty back then, and even now no fault could be found with her looks.

Moreover, haggard? Their mistress looked extremely healthy now, without even visible wrinkles. It would be one thing if someone else said this, but this Lady Wu's face was sallow, so why was she specifically choosing painful topics for conversation?

Liu Shi's expression remained unchanged, not showing the slightest abnormality.

She raised her hand to have tea served, then smiled at Lady Wu: "I wonder what brings Fifth Lady here today? Is there something you wish to discuss?"

Lady Wu actually didn't want to make this trip. She habitually looked down on merchant families. Wasn't the Qi family's good life now due to Second Young Master Qi's commercial success? Lady Wu had no interest in such families.

Especially since Liu Shi had received everyone's admiration back then while she herself was always inferior by comparison, she naturally harbored resentment.

Although Lady Wu wasn't like Madam Zhang, always looking for confrontations, she still felt indignant in her heart.

However, the servant beside her gently nudged her, and Lady Wu finally remembered her husband's instructions before leaving home.

She was a second wife without a son for support, only having one daughter whom she treasured greatly. If she hadn't been pushed to desperation, she probably wouldn't have made this trip either.

Forcing herself to continue smiling, Lady Wu lifted her chin slightly: "I've heard that Third Young Master Qi is talented and accomplished, having passed the scholar examination. He's truly a fine young man. If our two families could form a matrimonial alliance, it would be excellent."

Upon hearing this, Liu Shi's expression grew slightly cool, but she immediately resumed her gentle smile: "My Third Son is only 17 years old. If I remember correctly, your daughter should be 20 now. This age difference really isn't suitable."

What Lady Wu hated most was hearing others say her daughter wasn't good. Even though Liu Shi spoke tactfully, Lady Wu unconsciously retorted: "An older wife brings prosperity, and besides, your son will be 18 soon, at an age where he understands things. It's not too early." Her voice paused, then she tried to persuade warmly: "Speaking of family background, our Lu family can't find a better match in this city, and we have connections in the capital. If Third Young Master enters officialdom in the future, our family could be of help."

At these words, Liu Shi held her teacup, using it to well conceal the coldness in her eyes when she brought it to her lips.

She knew that Madam Zhang was brainless. Even when still unmarried, Madam Zhang was often used as a weapon by Lady Wu, yet Madam Zhang herself remained unaware.

She hadn't expected that after all these years, with times changing, Madam Zhang's brain hadn't grown, and Lady Wu was still the same as before, maintaining gentleness on the surface while her heart had seven twists and eight turns.

These words about high marriage and low marriage were fine to say behind closed doors, but Lady Wu insisted on smiling while bringing them out in conversation.

Liu Shi knew that although part of it was because she looked down on their family being landlords and merchants, more of it was Lady Wu's unwillingness.

Unwilling yet still coming to propose marriage was suspicious in itself.

If it were any other matter, Liu Shi would certainly laugh it off and not take issue with her.

But now Lady Wu was talking about her Third Son's marriage, so Liu Shi wouldn't pretend this hadn't happened. Especially with such strange circumstances, she needed to know the reason before she could respond properly.

However, Liu Shi would absolutely never agree outright.

Even if she looked down on the Lu family, refusing them outright wouldn't be appropriate, so she needed to find another way to phrase it.

Setting her teacup aside, Liu Shi remained the gentle and magnanimous Qi family wife: "You've come quite suddenly. Third Son isn't currently at the residence, so I have no way to get his opinion. Moreover, my husband and Eldest Son aren't here either. This matter would need their agreement."

Lady Wu nodded. She hadn't expected to settle things in one trip anyway. However, she specifically added: "It's best not to always delay children's marriages. It's better to settle them early."

Liu Shi smiled and nodded, also lamenting the difficulties of being a parent.

But as soon as Lady Wu left, Liu Shi's face turned cold.

Nanny Liu finally couldn't hold back and said in a low voice: "I really don't know what she came here to do. Was she proposing marriage or showing off? The way she held her tail up high was more ostentatious than Little Black in our courtyard."

Liu Shi's expression was indifferent: "Knowing what kind of person she is, there's never peace with her. Forget it, there's no need to be angry with her. I just can't figure out why Lady Wu came to propose this marriage."

Nanny Liu couldn't help but look at her and said: "Madam, Third Young Master won first place three times and is most talented. Previously, families wanting to propose marriage to our household nearly wore down our doorstep. It's normal that the Lu family wants to form an alliance."

But Liu Shi shook her head: "No, it's different. Even though I look down on the Lu family, no matter how incompetent they are, they do have connections in the capital. For such a family's daughter to marry in would indeed be them marrying down. Moreover, Lady Wu has always looked down on merchant families, yet now she wants to form an alliance with my family. Looking at her expression, you could tell she genuinely wanted to make it happen."

Nanny Liu muttered quietly: "I couldn't see any desire to make it happen in her."

Liu Shi stood up, hearing this, and smiled coldly: "If she didn't want it to happen, it's because Lady Wu was too pretentious and couldn't get things done. But her intention was still clear. She wanted this marriage to succeed, even with some urgency..."

Then Liu Shi stopped talking.

Seeing Liu Shi deep in thought, Nanny Liu stopped saying anything and quietly helped Liu Shi back to the courtyard.

Meanwhile, Tie Zi, who had been hiding by the side door of the front hall, carefully retreated to the corridor and then ran all the way to find Qi Yun.

When Tie Zi arrived, Qi Yun didn't immediately ask about the Lu family's intentions, but smiled and asked: "Has Mother returned?"

Tie Zi caught his breath and nodded: "Yes."

Hearing this, Ye Jiao said as she picked up Xu Bao: "Then I'll go talk with Mother. Husband, remember to drink the soup, it's good for your health."

Qi Yun looked at the pig bone, gorgon seed, and astragalus soup on the table. Even without Ye Jiao saying so, he knew what this soup was for.

Coughing lightly, he responded quietly and silently picked up the soup bowl to drink it all in one go.

Ye Jiao smiled, then carried Xu Bao out with Little Su.

After they left, Qi Yun called Tie Zi in and asked: "What did they all say?"

Tie Zi recounted word for word the conversation he had just heard for Qi Yun. Because Qi Yun had told him to remember everything, Tie Zi truly remembered it all, not even missing the subtle barbs between Liu Shi and Lady Wu's words.

Qi Yun stopped and sat there, his brow slightly furrowed.

Seeing this, Tie Zi said: "Young Master, that Lu family is really going too far, clearly insisting that Third Young Master must marry their daughter."

Qi Yun came back to his senses, but didn't speak immediately. Instead, he poured himself a bowl of soup, but didn't drink it, just held the spoon and stirred it, then said: "Rather than going too far, it's more that they seem overly anxious."

The two families had no previous contact. Their only interaction was when the Lu family had previously wanted to forcibly take their wine-making recipe.

But that was making enemies, not forming marriage alliances.

However, if the Lu family wanted to use the recipe as a betrothal gift, that didn't make sense either. If it were for the recipe, sacrificing a daughter, especially the matriarch's biological daughter, would be going too far.

Qi Yun couldn't quite figure it out for the moment, but he knew the Lu family definitely had impure motives. He just didn't know what they were thinking.

Tie Zi hesitated for a moment, then said quietly: "That... Second Young Master, I have something to say but don't know if I should."

"Speak."

Tie Zi seemed to organize his thoughts, then said: "Third Young Master has been away studying for years. We don't really know what people he's met. This time he's gone away to the city again. Though Liu Si went with him, he's only been serving him recently..."

Qi Yun looked up at him: "Don't beat around the bush. Speak directly."

Tie Zi's voice paused, then he said quietly: "Could it be that Third Young Master and that Lu family young lady are mutually in love, which made the Lu family come to propose marriage?"

At these words, the room fell completely silent.

Actually, after Tie Zi said this, he didn't quite believe it himself. In his view, their Third Young Master, though old enough, usually did nothing but read books and write essays. Even in his spare time, he was forced by their Second Young Master to practice calligraphy. He simply had no time to consider romantic affairs between scholars and beauties.

So Tie Zi quickly changed his words: "Second Young Master, I was just speaking randomly. Third Young Master definitely wouldn't."

Qi Yun put down his spoon into the bowl, his brow slightly furrowed: "I know he wouldn't, but with the Lu family's unclear motives now, who knows if someone might force Third Brother to make this matter real."

Tie Zi was stunned, taking a moment to understand Qi Yun's meaning.

Could it really be that the Lu family would sacrifice their daughter's reputation for the sake of forming a marriage alliance?

But before Tie Zi could figure it out, Qi Yun stood up: "Go get paper and brush. I'll send Third Brother a letter. Whether it's true or false, he should stay at the academy for the next few days."

Tie Zi went to get paper and brush, somewhat worried: "Second Young Master, if you tell him the truth, won't Third Young Master overthink it? He's preparing for the provincial examination now and probably can't handle being frightened."

Hearing this, Qi Yun felt Tie Zi made sense. In his moment of anxiety, he had forgotten this. He nodded: "That's good, I won't tell him the whole truth then." After thinking, "I'll assign him thirty pages of calligraphy practice per day, all to be completed, sent back every ten days. I think he won't have time to leave the academy."

Tie Zi: ...

He suddenly felt like he had gotten Third Young Master into trouble.

Meanwhile, in Liu Shi's courtyard, they were also discussing this matter.

However, unlike Qi Yun's attitude, Liu Shi didn't mention the Lu family's ulterior motives. She only asked if they had seen the Lu family daughter.

Although Ye Jiao had attended many flower-viewing banquets, she had no impression of anyone surnamed Lu.

Fang Shi similarly hadn't seen her, but she held Little Shi Tou with some hesitation in her eyes: "Mother, the Lu family isn't a good household. The people inside are incompetent yet hot-tempered. Eldest Brother has suffered from their attitude before. If we form an alliance with them, I'm afraid there will be many times of suffering in the future."

Liu Shi naturally knew this point, but being deep in thought, she wanted to gather more information before making plans. Seeing that neither Fang Shi nor Ye Jiao knew anything, she didn't ask further.

With a smile on her face, Liu Shi said: "Let's not talk about them anymore. I heard Little Shi Tou can already recite from books?"

Fang Shi also smiled, hurriedly hugging her son and coaxing: "Come, Little Shi Tou, recite some of the Hundred Family Names for Grandmother and Auntie to hear."

Little Shi Tou had been instructed by Fang Shi before coming and knew this would happen, so he wasn't nervous. He climbed down from Fang Shi's lap, stood on the ground, raised his head, and as he recited, he swayed back and forth: "Zhao Qian Sun Li, Zhou Wu Zheng Wang..."

There were a few stumbles in the middle, but he still recited several dozen characters, which was quite impressive.

When Little Shi Tou got stuck, Liu Shi promptly reached out to embrace him, praising him extensively. Though Fang Shi had been somewhat anxious when Little Shi Tou couldn't recite everything, seeing Liu Shi's happiness, she smiled along, her face full of pride.

Ye Jiao had Little Su give the cakes she'd brought to Fang Shi, saying: "Little Shi Tou learned well, Elder Sister-in-law must have put in great effort. Take these cakes back, and when Little Shi Tou gets tired from reciting, he can eat them."

Fang Shi accepted them with a smile, glancing at Little Shi Tou.

Little Shi Tou immediately said obediently: "Thank you, Second Auntie."

Then Fang Shi coaxed him to recite the Three Character Classic. This was something Little Shi Tou had recited many times before, so naturally it flowed smoothly.

But as he recited, Little Shi Tou noticed Xu Bao's mouth moving.

He couldn't help but stop, ran over to lean against Ye Jiao's leg, and looked up at Xu Bao.

Xu Bao was wearing a blue jacket today with a tiger-head cap, looking extremely adorable.

Seeing Brother Shi Tou looking at him, Xu Bao smiled cheerfully back, reaching out to touch Little Shi Tou's hand, his voice clear: "Zhao Qian Sun Li, Zhou Wu Zheng Wang, eat eat."

Hearing this, Little Shi Tou knew these were the words he had just recited, but it had been a while since then, and he hadn't expected Xu Bao to remember them. Little Shi Tou's eyes widened.

Liu Shi and Fang Shi were also very surprised. Only Ye Jiao kissed Xu Bao's forehead, taking it in stride.

She figured this child had just seen her give cakes to Little Shi Tou, so he was greedy and wanted to eat too. Following along with the words was just because he wanted food.

Ye Jiao didn't shortchange him either, picking up a small piece of red date cake from the plate on the table and holding it to Xu Bao's mouth.

The little fellow first examined it, then licked it, and only then opened his mouth to eat it, his smiling expression like a little fortune god.

Liu Shi was also very fond of him, taking him over for a long session of "precious heart" and "little treasure" endearments. Though Fang Shi loved Little Shi Tou more, she couldn't resist Xu Bao's smiling face and joined in the coaxing.

Only Little Shi Tou looked at Xu Bao with sympathy.

His poor little brother was probably forced by his ice-cold Second Uncle to recite books until dark every day.

Such a good little brother being bullied by Second Uncle aroused Little Shi Tou's childish sympathy. He also came over, reaching out to touch Xu Bao's little hand while sighing.

Xu Bao also grasped his hand, smiling cheerfully and brightly.

Little Shi Tou stared at him, thinking that as an older brother, he should protect his little brother. His little brother was so naive that he probably wouldn't even know to speak up when bullied.

At this moment, four-year-old Little Shi Tou felt a sense of responsibility for the first time.

Liu Shi didn't notice the interaction between her two grandsons. She looked toward Ye Jiao and Fang Shi: "In a couple of days, I'm going to burn incense. You should accompany me, and we can visit the shops on the way back."

Fang Shi and Ye Jiao agreed, played with the two children for a while longer, then went their separate ways.

Ye Jiao carried Xu Bao, walking very slowly.

Perhaps from playing too wildly with Little Shi Tou and expending too much energy, Xu Bao was getting sleepy. Now being carried by Ye Jiao, he had already rested his head on her shoulder, closed his eyes, and drifted off to sleep.

Ye Jiao covered him with a small blanket, wrapping her fat son into a ball to prevent him from catching cold, and slowed her pace considerably.

As they neared the courtyard gate, Ye Jiao saw a figure pacing back and forth at the entrance.

Getting closer, Ye Jiao recognized: "Manager Song?"

Hearing this, Manager Song turned around to see Ye Jiao and the round Xu Bao in her arms.

Seeing that the Young Master was asleep, Manager Song had originally wanted to announce good news loudly but lowered his voice, though his smile couldn't be hidden: "Second Young Mistress, I've come to announce good news to the Young Master."

Ye Jiao blinked curiously: "What good news?"

Manager Song first laughed to himself a couple of times, then spoke: "Replying to Second Young Mistress, the Merchant Caravan is about to return."