No matter how treacherous the storms in the outer quarters, unmarried daughters could only serve to comfort their parents.
If even the Grand Master’s wisdom couldn’t devise any clever solutions, Seventh Miss didn’t believe she could do anything for the Yang family’s political position.
However, when leaving the outer courtyard, traces of worry still colored her brow.
After a long moment, she exhaled, deciding not to dwell on these vexing matters.
In any case, if the sky fell, the Grand Master and Grand Madam would bear it first. Not being in that position, she shouldn’t meddle in those affairs. Rather than worry about these things, she might as well fret over whether to eat an extra bowl of rice at dinner.
She chatted idly with Nanny Dong as they entered the passage leading to the inner courtyard.
They happened to encounter the three brothers head-on.
“Elder Brother, Second Brother, Third Brother.”
Both parties quickly exchanged courtesies and stopped to chat.
“Attending Uncle again in the outer courtyard?” Minge asked Seventh Miss with a smile.
Seventh Miss smiled in acknowledgment, then inquired after Minge. “Have the brothers just returned from outside?”
Minge smiled. “Yes, several classmates are departing to return to their native places. We went to give them farewell drinks.”
Suzhou had a strong literary reputation, especially Shantang Academy, which had produced successful candidates in the imperial examinations for several consecutive sessions. This attracted students from all over. However, the provincial examination required returning to one’s native place. After the New Year, everyone gradually departed for home. The Minge brothers had been busy attending various farewell banquets and hadn’t met with their sisters for some time.
After a few pleasantries, they ran out of things to say and walked silently side by side toward the main hall.
Along the way, Minge hesitated to speak several times, glancing at his brothers but ultimately remaining silent.
Seventh Miss naturally noticed his behavior.
Her heart stirred.
Honestly speaking, her assessment of this cousin wasn’t low. Though the Grand Master and Second Master might disagree on many matters, they were indeed conscientious about educating their children. When the Minge brothers returned, one could see he’d received a good education and was quite shrewd. During these years at Shantang Academy, he’d grown increasingly composed through experience.
How could such a person not know that dredging up Second Madam’s affair now would bring him no benefit whatsoever?
If not to overturn the verdict, then investigating past events—what was it for?
And being so urgent about it, making it so obvious that now even his two brothers seemed unwilling to avoid the topic, wearing their thoughts on their faces so clearly that even Honge noticed…
Could he be asking something of her?
Seventh Miss fell into contemplation.
Given the cold relationship between the two branches and Ninth Brother’s superficial but distant relationship with the three cousins, if Minge wanted to use her, soft words and requests would have low success rates.
Thinking of coercion was quite natural.
However, what could Minge need to ask of her?
The two branches had been divided for so long, his marriage was already settled… what matter could she possibly handle for Minge?
#
After paying respects to the Grand Madam, the three brothers returned together to Yurong Courtyard.
Seventh Miss had also intended to return to Jade Rain Pavilion, but the Grand Madam kept her to share the evening meal.
When dinner time approached, even Sixth Miss and several concubines came to pay respects, yet Fifth Miss was nowhere to be seen.
Only when dinner had already been served did Guyu arrive belatedly. “Fifth Miss instructed this servant to apologize to the Madam. She’s feeling unwell and won’t come to pay respects tonight.”
Her face showed clear grievance.
How could the Grand Madam not understand the meaning in Guyu’s words?
After eating a few bites, she set down her chopsticks and complained to Seventh Miss. “Your Third Aunt is really something. At this point, still hasn’t come to propose marriage—Little Five has waited until she’s become like this. I truly fear if we wait any longer, she’ll actually fall ill!”
Still that same wishful thinking.
Seventh Miss could only set down her bowl as well and console the Grand Madam with a few words. “…You can rest assured, given the current situation, the Xu family will certainly come to propose. They’re probably deeply afraid of being unable to secure our alliance…”
She then relayed the news about Second Master Niu’s promotion, adding and subtracting details.
The Grand Master never concealed such public information from the Grand Madam—nor could he.
Seventh Miss thought in a few days, he would tell the Grand Madam anyway.
Seventh Miss was happy to use this information to curry favor with the Grand Madam.
The Grand Madam indeed fell into contemplation.
Though this noblewoman truly had little talent for household management, her political acumen was quite sharp. After just a moment’s thought, she smiled. “You’re right. Now, those feeling deeply insecure aren’t just our Yang family. The Xu family’s heart is probably even more uncomfortable, isn’t it?”
In previous years when the Crown Prince’s position was unstable, if not for Duke Pingguo and his son’s great frontier victory, the Eastern Palace might already have a different master.
Yet now, with the Crown Prince’s first move, the first to be promoted wasn’t someone from the Xu or Qin families, but the Empress’s natal Niu family… Just because everyone stood beside the Crown Prince didn’t mean the internal alliance was monolithic. Between the two foster mothers, there couldn’t possibly be no conflicts.
The Xu family naturally needed to grasp the Yang family tightly to strengthen their faction’s power, preparing for possible internal strife in the future.
“No wonder your Third Aunt has brought up the marriage again in recent years, even going so far as to send your cousin to Jiangnan.” The Grand Madam suddenly understood. “We’re not in the capital, so much information escapes us. We can’t compare to the Xu family being in the midst of it all, knowing intimately whether things are cold or warm…”
She couldn’t even be bothered to finish eating, calling loudly for servants to clear the dishes and bring fresh tea. “If they don’t look down on Little Five or our Yang family, why still haven’t sent someone to propose?”
She consulted with Seventh Miss. “I’m thinking, perhaps I should write a letter and tactfully urge them along?”
Seventh Miss was somewhat surprised. “Wouldn’t that seem too eager…”