The next day, Mrs. Deng ordered Su Nansheng to stay in the mansion quietly awaiting her wedding and forbade her from going out again.
Su Nansheng knew that her mother was warning her about her disrespect the previous day, but she didn't really care.
The perfume she sent out last time had received a very good response. Chen Mingzhu even asked her to make more, saying that all her little sisters who played with her also wanted some. So she took this opportunity to make perfume in the courtyard.
Since she was making a large quantity this time, she bought a great deal of fresh flowers from the flower farmers instead of going up the mountain to pick them.
Su Nansheng spent the whole day in the backyard selecting flower buds, washing them, putting them into the still for distillation and filtration, and then distilling again and adding spices. The process went on and on.
Within just a few days, even the doors and windows in the courtyard were permeated with the fragrance. Even Snowball started to sneeze.
Looking at Snowball huddled at her feet, Su Nansheng wanted to lock it in the room to prevent it from being affected by the strong fragrance.
Just then, the gatekeeper came to report that a Miss Chen had come to pay a visit.
Su Nansheng quickly told Bitao to go and greet the guest, while she herself changed her clothes and washed her hands.
Today, for the convenience of work, she had deliberately worn a coarse - cloth short gown. Naturally, she couldn't meet Chen Mingzhu like this. It would be too impolite.
Just as she had quickly changed her clothes, Chen Mingzhu had already entered the courtyard.
Today, she was wearing a long water - red dress with mother - of - pearl inlaid patterns. Coupled with her bright, twinkling eyes, she looked radiant.
"It smells so good! Are you making perfume for me?"
Su Nansheng led Chen Mingzhu to sit down beside the mahogany table.
"Yes. Miss Mingzhu has come at just the right time. You can take a few bottles back with you."
Saying this, Su Nansheng waved her hand, signaling Bitao to bring out the perfume that had already been made.
Chen Mingzhu immediately put down the teacup in her hand and said in a somewhat urgent tone,
"Hey, I didn't come here to ask you for perfume. I'm here to deliver a message for someone."
Su Nansheng didn't stop her action. She put the perfume bottles into a mahogany box one by one, and then said,
"No matter why you've come, you must take this perfume with you. I'm just wondering what message Miss Mingzhu has to deliver?"
Chen Mingzhu tilted her head and stared at Su Nansheng. "Don't you want to ask for whom I'm delivering the message?"
Su Nansheng just smiled faintly and said nothing. It was obvious who could order Chen Mingzhu around and send a message to her.
"Humph, it's really no fun talking to smart people like you. You always seem to know everything before I even start speaking."
Chen Mingzhu looked indignant, and then said,
"Eldest cousin said that the wedding date is indeed a bit tight. If there's anything you don't have time to prepare, just tell me. He can prepare it for you."
Looking at the serious - looking Chen Mingzhu, Su Nansheng felt a warmth in her heart.
The Anshun Marquis Mansion had already done a great deal. Knowing that her family's wealth couldn't be compared with that of the Marquis Mansion, they had secretly prepared the dowry for her.
Knowing that the wedding date was too close and afraid that she wouldn't have time to prepare the wedding dress, on the second day after the betrothal gifts were presented, the embroiderers from Jinxia Workshop came to take her measurements. They said that they had already prepared twenty embroiderers to rush to make the wedding dress for her.
Now He Xun had even sent someone to ask if she had any difficulties.
They were being so considerate. People who didn't know might think that it was the Anshun Marquis Mansion that was marrying off a daughter.
"Everything is fine with me. Please tell Young Master He not to worry."
Su Nansheng personally poured a cup of tea for Chen Mingzhu and handed it to her.
Chen Mingzhu took the celadon teacup, and her expression relaxed a bit. She joked,
"I heard from aunt that from the decoration of the bridal chamber to the clothes and jewelry, cousin has checked everything. Don't you think cousin has put a lot of effort into this for you?"
Saying this, she winked at Su Nansheng. Her expression was just like Bitao's when she wanted to hear some gossip.
"Miss Mingzhu, quickly smell these newly - made perfume bottles. They smell even better than the previous ones."
Su Nansheng uncovered the stopper of a perfume bottle and handed it to Chen Mingzhu.
"Nansheng, your intention to change the topic is too obvious. Anyway, I think eldest cousin has really gone to great lengths for you. Oh, I heard that your maid helped the Metropolitan Police Office catch a wanted criminal the other day?"
Su Nansheng lowered her eyes. "She only assisted from the side. It was mainly some common people who made the effort."
She shouldn't have let Bitao step forward at that time, but there was no one else she could trust around her.
"Oh, who caught the criminal doesn't really matter. The important thing is that now people outside are all praising you for being brave, intelligent, and extremely resourceful. As for your elder sister... her reputation is a bit bad."
When she said this, Chen Mingzhu rarely chose her words carefully.
Su Nansheng lowered her head to drink the tea.
"Father has ordered elder sister to be confined. She is not allowed to leave the mansion before the wedding date."
That day, her father had flown into a rage and punished Su Hele to kneel in the ancestral hall. The next day, he even took gifts and brought her to the mansion of Minister Cao to apologize.
Although Minister Cao wouldn't be too harsh on a woman, Su Hele had always been proud. Being forced to apologize like this was like a slap in the face for her, so she mustn't be feeling good.
"When you mention this, I'm actually quite curious. That Concubine Li is always so pushy. But this time, she arranged for He Er to get married on the same day as eldest cousin. I don't know what she was thinking."
Chen Mingzhu said this boldly without any scruples.
It was her maid behind her who secretly tugged at the corner of Chen Mingzhu's clothes, but she just yanked it back.
Seeing this, Su Nansheng couldn't help but smile.
"Maybe Concubine Li just wanted to save some trouble. After all, organizing a wedding is quite an expensive affair."
...
In the side courtyard of the Marquis Mansion, Concubine Li propped her head up with her hand, shaking her head and sighing.
"I don't agree. The wedding date has already been set. Does aunt want me to be the one who breaks the promise?"
He Jin originally wanted to persuade Concubine Li to change the wedding date. He didn't want to get married on the same day as He Xun at all.
He Xun was the legitimate son and had military merits. His wedding would surely be extremely grand.
By then, He Xun would steal all the limelight. Wouldn't he lose face?
But before he could even open his mouth, Concubine Li had already said that she wanted to call off the engagement. How could that be possible!
"Do you know that Su Hele has offended Minister Cao? If it weren't for her younger sister leading people to catch that thief, Minister Cao could have accused her of causing a public disturbance. What do you want to marry such a woman for!"
Concubine Li regretted it very much. She shouldn't have softened her heart and agreed to this marriage in the first place.
"I've also heard about that incident. It was just a small matter. How can you say she offended someone or not? Aunt is making too much of a fuss. Moreover, A Le had good intentions. It was those greedy commoners who caused the trouble."
Concubine Li was so angry that she slapped the table.
"You're still speaking up for her. If she didn't have impure motives, how could such a thing have happened?"
Why was her son so stupid? Couldn't he see through Su Hele's two - faced behavior?
"I don't care. Anyway, I don't agree to calling off the engagement. If aunt really wants to call it off, then I'll take A Le and leave the capital."
He Jin flung his sleeve and turned his back. He was too lazy to look at Concubine Li's vulgar face.
Concubine Li suddenly stood up. "How dare you!"
Seeing that her body seemed a bit unsteady again, Nanny Wang quickly supported her and advised,
"Aunt, you mustn't get angry anymore. Your health is the most important thing."
Concubine Li sat down on the chair and gasped for breath.
After finally calming down her mind, when she looked up and saw He Jin still standing with his back turned, she got angry again. She wanted to lose her temper but held it back.
"Marry, marry, I'll let you marry. But you have to promise me one condition."