In the Anshun Marquis Mansion, the mistress Chen Wanrong frowned slightly as she listened to the matchmaker's report.
What on earth did the Su family mean? Could it be that they were deliberately holding back since the Anshun Marquis Mansion was eager to propose marriage?
Chen Wanrong was tempted to call off the engagement, but she was afraid that the one in the north would not agree.
For a moment, she couldn't make up her mind. As she was thinking, an idea suddenly struck her.
"Marriage is no trifle. The Su family's fickleness is worrying. Let's put this on hold for a while and discuss it later."
She couldn't handle this matter on her own. She had to find the one who could make the decision.
...
When Bitao found Su Nansheng, she was wandering aimlessly around the yard along the wall. She missed the feeling of freedom so much.
In her previous life, from the time her leg bone was broken to her death with hatred, it was only a little over a month.
But the feeling of watching the flesh rot helplessly and lying in bed waiting for death was so painful that it was unforgettable.
The scene from that time always appeared in Su Nansheng's dreams, waking her up from nightmares and preventing her from sleeping peacefully.
"Second Miss, this servant has inquired. When the Eldest Miss goes out of the mansion, she most often goes to the Cloud - top Tea House and the Scholar's Bookstore.
But when she goes to the Cloud - top Tea House, she never lets Sumo follow. She always goes up alone. She went out just a few days ago."
Hearing this, Su Nansheng paused in her steps, then sat down at the bluestone table beside and said nothing.
Seeing this, Bitao continued.
"As for the Anshun Marquis Mansion, although the madam has changed her tune through the matchmaker, there has been no reply yet. This servant is a bit worried."
After waiting for a long time and still getting no response, Bitao couldn't help but look up.
Su Nansheng was wearing a bright red long dress embroidered with peony patterns today. The peonies on the dress were either in bloom or about to bloom, full of vitality and as bright as rosy clouds.
Although she had just recovered from a serious illness and her face looked a bit haggard, it still couldn't hide her peerless beauty. She was like a peony in full bloom, delicate and charming.
At this moment, she was looking into the void, seemingly lost in thought. Her fair and delicate fingers stroked the rough stone table one after another.
Thinking that her young lady was in a daze, Bitao was about to speak when she saw Su Nansheng smile slightly.
"It's really stuffy staying in the mansion all the time. Let's go to the Western Market for a stroll tomorrow."
Bitao wondered: Did she just say she was stuffy?
After Bitao left with a puzzled look on her face, the smile on Su Nansheng's face turned into mockery.
Presumably the Cloud - top Tea House was the place where Su Hele had secret rendezvous with He Jin. She even guarded against her personal maid. No wonder she could hide it from everyone.
It must have been really hard to keep it such a well - hidden secret.
Thinking about He Jin's noble background, it must have been even harder.
Su Nansheng slowly got up, with a strange smile on her face.
She just couldn't bear to see her elder sister suffer, just like in her previous life.
In her previous life, Su Hele complained to her that she couldn't lower herself to serve her in - laws. So Su Nansheng served her mother - in - law for her.
Su Hele disdained the trivial matters in the mansion. So Su Nansheng disciplined the servants in the mansion for her, socialized with the other ladies for her, and won people's hearts for her.
For the sake of sisterly love, she didn't hesitate to use herself as bait to force the eldest He young master to leave, so that the hypocrite He Jin could inherit the title.
The world said that she only knew how to scheme and was vulgar, and they despised her extremely.
But they always praised her elder sister.
She never got involved in the dirty affairs of the inner courtyard and avoided money like the plague, for fear of getting a trace of the smell of copper.
She always stayed in the yard, taking care of flowers and plants and writing poems and painting.
Occasionally, she would show a faint smile when she managed to grow a few green bamboos.
Su Nansheng also liked her elder sister's temperament very much.
She thought that it was enough for one sister to scheme and strive for success. She wanted her elder sister to live a free and unrestrained life.
But later, her elder sister, who was as elegant as chrysanthemum, gave Su Nansheng a bowl of ginseng soup mixed with poison and asked her to give it to Mrs. Zheng, who was about to become a concubine.
It was the same in her previous life and in this life. She still couldn't bear to see her elder sister suffer.
She had no choice at the moment, but she had to give her elder sister more choices, so as to prevent her elder sister from suffering because she couldn't live a life with a tile to cover her head.
...
In the Hanmo Bookstore in the Western Market, Su Nansheng was flipping through the books on the shelf while keeping an eye on the door from the corner of her eye.
Bitao looked at Su Nansheng, who had been searching in the same position for two consecutive days, with a blank look in her eyes.
The Second Miss said she was looking for a sutra, but she didn't change the place even though she couldn't find it.
The Second Miss had really become a mystery to her recently.
While Bitao was still in a daze, she saw Su Nansheng's eyes light up. She threw the book in her hand to Bitao and walked out.
Bitao quickly put the book back in place. When she looked up again, Su Nansheng had already gone out.
Outside the bookstore, Cao Xingwen was carrying a roll of yellow hemp paper. His gray long robe was washed white. He had a handsome face with a scholarly air.
"Second Miss, are you here to buy books?"
Su Nansheng looked miserable.
"I want to buy some things as a farewell gift for my elder sister, but I don't know what to choose."
Cao Xingwen's face froze for a moment and he said in a low voice.
"Is the Eldest Miss going to accompany Lord Su to Fangzhou?"
"No one in the court dared to plead for my father, and no one outside the court dared to marry into our family. Since the elder sister has no engagement, she will naturally go with our father.
Alas, if someone proposed marriage to my elder sister at this time, she wouldn't have to suffer in Fangzhou."
At this point, Su Nansheng suddenly stopped and covered her mouth embarrassedly.
"Oh, I was so worried about my elder sister that I said something inappropriate. Please forgive me, Young Master Cao."
Cao Xingwen forced a smile.
"It's okay. It's just that the Eldest Miss is so elegant and noble that only the sons of noble families can match her. Others naturally don't dare to propose marriage rashly."
Su Nansheng sighed.
"My elder sister doesn't care about family status. The other day she told me that if she could stay away from the worldly troubles and have a quiet place to enjoy bamboo and chrysanthemums, that would be the best. She would be willing to live even in a humble place.
Moreover, if someone is not afraid of power and dares to propose marriage to my elder sister at this time, he will surely win her favor."
"Indeed, the Eldest Miss has always been indifferent to worldly fame and fortune and transcended the mortal world."
Cao Xingwen nodded, his tone full of admiration.
Su Nansheng looked at Cao Xingwen, who seemed to be deep in thought, with a smile, pinning high hopes on him.
Among all the scholars who had sent visiting cards to her father, Cao Xingwen's family was the poorest, but he was content with his poverty. He was the most compatible with Su Hele in character and could give her the life she wanted.
Moreover, he was in love with Su Hele, so she naturally had to give him a hand.
Bitao stood behind Su Nansheng with her head down, her eyes getting wider and wider.
In the past two days, the Second Miss had said the same thing to three scholars. What was she up to?
After Cao Xingwen left, Bitao whispered, "Second Miss, shall we go back to the mansion?"
Su Nansheng shook her head. "Let's go to other bookstores and continue looking."
She couldn't keep baiting them. She had to give them some time to take the bait.
And she had to do something for herself during this period.
...
"General He, there's a letter from home."
A small soldier with a dark - red complexion and a burly build was holding the letter with both hands.
He Xun was looking at the topographic map in front of him with his hands behind his back. Hearing this, he didn't move and just said.
"Put it on the table."
The small soldier put down the letter as he was told and respectfully left the room.
He Xun memorized all the terrains on the map before turning around.
He was wearing a black tight - fitting suit, looking steady and neat. Although he wasn't wearing armor, there was an invisible pressure around him just by standing there.
His dark eyes were as sharp as a falcon's, with a natural chill. His nose was as straight as if carved by a knife, looking tough and resolute. His thin lips were pursed into a straight line, showing a cold and aloof air.
He Xun looked down at the letter from home. A trace of warmth flashed in his sharp eyes, like ice suddenly melting.
His mother was urging him to return to the capital again.
He opened the letter, planning to skim through it, but his eyes stopped and his expression became a bit complicated.
He was going to take a concubine?
It was a girl from the Su family. A smile appeared on He Xun's lips.
But then the smile suddenly disappeared. The other party seemed hesitant and didn't seem to want to agree?
He slowly put away the letter and stared into the distance.
It was time to go back to the capital. But before that, he still had to inform his wife and see what her plans were.