The First Madam was stunned.
The greatest taboo in marriage proposals was to be so direct and face-to-face.
For the moment, the First Madam hadn’t yet considered the advantages and disadvantages of this match.
But with Madam Li sitting right across from her, whether yes or no, she had to provide some response.
The First Madam could only smile and say, “A child as excellent as Eleventh Young Master—how could it be called taking advantage!” After pondering a moment, she continued slowly, “It’s just that Little Seven has four older sisters who haven’t yet been betrothed. It wouldn’t be proper to arrange her marriage first.”
Madam Li quickly said, “I’ve been too hasty!”
For families like the Yang and Li households, marriage arrangements had to observe proper order.
Eleventh Young Master also had several concubine-born brothers ahead of him who weren’t yet betrothed. Never mind the distant ones—even Tenth Young Master was already sixteen and still unmarried.
The First Madam went with the flow. “Let’s wait a few more years. Little Seven is still quite young this year after all.”
Madam Li sighed with the First Madam. “These days it’s not easy to arrange a satisfying match for one’s children. Finding someone with matching family status and comparable appearance and character—where are such good matches to be found? Our Fourth Son is already eighteen this year, and isn’t he also delayed without a marriage arranged?”
The two madams chatted at length, then Madam Li rose to take her leave and returned to the guest quarters to rest.
The First Madam leaned by the window, falling into thought.
Nanny Liang personally brought in a small chicken-blood red bowl and entered the room. “Madam, don’t just sit there lost in thought—have a few mouthfuls of bird’s nest first.”
The First Madam half-raised her body, accepted the small bowl, and stirred the sugar water inside absently. “This Madam Li is quite interesting.”
Nanny Liang hadn’t been attending the First Madam and didn’t know her meaning, so she responded vaguely with agreement.
The First Madam smiled and recounted Madam Li’s proposal.
“This Madam Li truly is calculating…” Nanny Liang also praised admiringly.
Though Eleventh Young Master was a legitimate son, whether considering his age or his late mother’s background, he couldn’t compare to the Eldest and Third Young Masters born to the first wife.
These years she had grown closer to Madam Li.
By proposing a Yang family concubine-born daughter for him, Madam Li could strengthen relations between the Yang and Li families, win over Eleventh Young Master, and invisibly suppress the power of the Eldest and Third Young Masters.
After all, Master Yang was Master Li’s superior of many years. If the Seventh Miss truly married into the Li family, Eleventh Young Master would naturally gain more favor from Master Li.
But the Seventh Miss was also a concubine-born daughter… In the future, Madam Li wouldn’t need to worry—naturally she could arrange an even better match for Twelfth Young Master.
“This is a move that kills three birds with one stone.” The First Madam sighed.
Nanny Liang couldn’t help being somewhat curious. “So do you think this should be accepted or…”
The First Madam smiled and waved her hand. “The Seventh Miss isn’t my birth daughter after all. It wouldn’t be right not to ask her opinion about marriage… Besides, there are still so many older sisters ahead of her. With Third Miss’s marriage still unsettled, why such haste?”
She felt somewhat regretful. “If I’d known, I should have spoken first. I was rather impressed with the Li family’s Fourth Son—his age isn’t far from Third Miss’s, making him a good match for her.”
Speaking of which, Li Fourth Son was three years older than Third Miss—the age difference wasn’t great.
His birth mother, Concubine Cui, was currently managing the Li household affairs and was naturally a favored person before Master Li. Fourth Son himself couldn’t be said to lack learning—at such a young age, he had already passed the provincial examination.
However, there was just one problem…
Nanny Liang also smiled. “Your idea is excellent, and here I thought you’d forgotten about Third Miss! Li Fourth Son truly is an outstanding youth, and he’s close with Eldest and Third Young Masters too. The Master couldn’t find fault with him!”
The First Madam hummed in agreement and pushed the chicken-blood red bowl aside. “After entertaining Madam Li for half the day, I’m rather tired. You may go. After dinner, have the Seventh Miss stay behind to keep me company and chat.”
Nanny Liang smiled and agreed.
These past years, whenever the First Madam encountered matters, she always thought to consult the Seventh Miss first.
#
After dinner, the Seventh Miss indeed remained behind.
Already familiar with the routine and with much unnecessary formality dispensed with, she seated herself below the First Madam and fixed her with an inquiring gaze.
The First Madam couldn’t help smiling: this Seventh Miss was sometimes so mature, almost rivaling the First Miss, and at other times so childlike.
She then, with additions and omissions, told the Seventh Miss about her idea of betrothing Third Miss to Li Fourth Son.
But she didn’t mention Eleventh Young Master’s matter.
The Seventh Miss couldn’t help hesitating.
This Li Fourth Son’s reputation was indeed known throughout Suzhou—at least the Seventh Miss had heard of him.
Li Fourth Son was eighteen this year, also a talented youth. Everything about him was good—his literary talent even surpassed Eldest and Third Young Masters. It was just his temperament that was somewhat peculiar.
The Great Qin didn’t prohibit male romantic relationships, especially in the Jiangsu-Zhejiang-Fujian region. For handsome young men to have a few same-sex lovers wasn’t strange. The Seventh Miss herself had no discriminatory feelings toward same-sex love.
However, Li Fourth Son’s romantic history was rather dramatic. He had maintained a stable romantic relationship for three or four years with a leading young male entertainer from the South Wind Hall. That Xiao Yu of Night Chu Study was Li Fourth Son’s person—this was known to everyone in Suzhou city.
Over these three or four years, Li Fourth Son had fought at least seven or eight times over Xiao Yu, offending numerous dandies from official families. Whether Master Li flew into a rage and tied him up to keep him home, or beat him until he couldn’t get out of bed… Li Fourth Son simply couldn’t leave that young entertainer.
Setting this aside, he was indeed an ideal marriage prospect—provided, of course, that his wife could tolerate Li Fourth Son’s heart forever holding another man.
A reportedly very handsome man at that.
Thinking of Third Miss’s round face, the Seventh Miss was somewhat speechless.
“He is a good candidate!” She weighed her words carefully. “However, the Li family’s relationship with ours is ultimately too close. Li Fourth Son probably defers to Father, so he wouldn’t dare do anything outrageous for the first couple of years.”
The First Madam just wanted to torment Third Miss—if Li Fourth Son didn’t dare create trouble, she would be disappointed.