Wen Hongxin gave Lan Miao a subtle nod, his tone amiable.
"Sister-in-law, please stay at ease in the courtyard. I'll go and inform Mother first. The guards at the courtyard gate will be withdrawn soon."
"All right."
Lan Miao smiled sweetly, bowing politely to Wen Hongxin. Gentle and graceful, she said, "Thank you, Marquis."
Perhaps because Lan Miao's attitude was as friendly as ever without any sign of ill feeling, Wen Hongxin took the boldness to probe a bit, "Sister-in-law, if you return to the Lan Mansion in the future, don't forget to visit the Marquis Mansion. After all, Xue'er is still the young miss of the Marquis Mansion."
Now he thinks highly of Xue'er's status?
Lan Miao understood his intention and didn't beat around the bush. Lifting her eyes, she said with a smile,
"If I have time then, I will surely come back. Thank you for your trouble in this matter, Marquis."
"What are you saying?"
Wen Hongxin bowed with a smile. A meaningful glint flashed in his eyes. "Sister-in-law, if you manage to get in with the powerful in the palace in the future, don't forget to take care of our Marquis Mansion."
"How could I? I'm just carving a piece of jade for the Empress Dowager. How can it be called getting in with the powerful? Marquis, don't make fun of me."
Lan Miao responded smoothly, denying it quite euphemistically.
Seeing that he couldn't get any useful information from Lan Miao, Wen Hongxin didn't ask any more questions. He bowed and took his leave, seeing Lan Miao back to the courtyard courteously.
After returning to the small courtyard, Shuang Le finally asked Lan Miao puzzledly, "Madam, what did Master and Madam come for today?"
When Lan Miao was talking with Lan Cengui and the others just now, the maids and servants had been dismissed to the outer room. Shuang Le was worried that Master had put pressure on Madam again.
Lan Miao replied softly,
"It's nothing serious. They just want me to annul my marriage with the Marquis Mansion and take me back to the Lan Mansion."
"Ah?"
Shuang Le was stunned. Both she and Shuang Xi were maids from the Lan Mansion. If Lan Miao went back, they would surely follow. But that was not the main thing. The most important thing was that it was so sudden.
She couldn't help crying out in surprise,
"Madam, this is so strange. Why does Master suddenly want to take you back? Does the Marquis agree? And the old madam... won't she be hopping mad?"
The corner of Lan Miao's mouth curved up, showing a subtle smile.
"Yes, the old madam will probably faint from anger again."
"As for you, no matter whether I return to the Lan Mansion or go somewhere else, I will make good arrangements for you and Shuang Xi. Just tell Shuang Xi to recuperate at ease."
Shuang Le's expression flickered. "Thank you, Madam."
She was also very curious about where else Madam could go besides the Lan Mansion. But seeing Madam's calm attitude, she didn't ask any more questions. As long as she could follow Madam, it didn't matter where they went.
How could Lan Miao not understand her thoughts?
But if the Emperor really issued an imperial edict to force her into the palace, she didn't want Shuang Xi and Shuang Le to follow her in. The palace was a place full of intrigues even deeper than the Marquis Mansion. It was better if one less person got involved.
Up to now, the words Lan Cengui had said still echoed in her mind. Cut off relations with the Marquis Mansion and annul the marriage with the dead?
She had thought this was something she could never achieve in her lifetime.
Could it really come true?
While Lan Miao was still in a daze, a great upheaval was about to take place in the Lan Mansion because of her.
The Lan Mansion.
After Lan Cengui and Madam Qin returned to the mansion, Madam Qin immediately dismissed all the servants and asked Lan Cengui about his future plans seriously.
Today, Lan Cengui suddenly told her that he was going to the Marquis Mansion to see Lan Miao. At that time, she was completely confused and didn't know why he wanted to see a daughter who had already been married off and become a widow. How inauspicious.
It was not until Lan Cengui said in front of several people in the Marquis Mansion that he wanted to take Lan Miao back that she was sure Lan Cengui was not joking.
"Hubby, why do you want to take Lan Miao back? I really don't understand. If you have any plans, please tell me."
Madam Qin frowned, puzzled.
She had always been a virtuous and capable housewife and never questioned Lan Cengui's orders.
But in her heart, she didn't agree with the idea of taking Lan Miao back. Although Lan Miao and her little daughter had won the favor of the Empress Dowager and the princess, so what?
Lan Cengui stroked his two mustaches, looking mysterious.
"Lan Miao won't stay in the Lan Mansion for long after she comes back. I have my own arrangements for her destination. You don't need to be impatient."
But the more Lan Cengui said so, the stronger Madam Qin's bad premonition became.
"Have a destination?"
Madam Qin frowned. Suddenly, as if inspired, she thought of Lan Miao's appearance today. She was more beautiful than before and had an otherworldly temperament. If she left the Marquis Mansion, she really wouldn't have any trouble finding a good destination.
"Hubby, do you want to arrange a new marriage for Lan Miao? Have you found a suitable family?"
Although her tone was calm, her expression showed a strange restlessness.
Her daughter Xin'er was still waiting to be married.
Why did Master arrange the marriage of a widow first?
Lan Cengui took a sip of tea. Thinking of the Emperor's entrustment to him that day, which was mainly to get the divorce paper and the Emperor would make other arrangements himself. Lan Cengui took a deep breath and looked relaxed.
"You don't need to worry about Lan Miao's affairs. Just focus on finding a good marriage for Xin'er."
"A widow who has killed her husband comes back to our Lan Mansion. How can any good family come to propose marriage for Xin'er? Hubby, I really don't understand your meaning."
Madam Qin had always maintained an image of dignity and virtue. But at this moment, she finally couldn't help showing her real malice towards Lan Miao.
Lan Cengui glanced at her, seemingly dissatisfied.
But Madam Qin didn't avoid his gaze.
"Don't say such things about Lan Miao in the future, and don't let outsiders hear them." Lan Cengui put down the teacup in his hand, a meaningful smile on his face. "Our family may produce a noble consort or something."
Noble consort?
Madam Qin's eyes lit up.
Didn't that mean sending their daughter into the palace to serve the Emperor?
The only daughter who hadn't been married off was Xin'er, wasn't it?
The frown on her face immediately disappeared, and even a few wrinkles appeared as she laughed. She said in surprise, "Hubby, you... are going to send Xin'er into the palace? Has the Emperor taken a fancy to Xin'er?"
Hearing this, Lan Cengui almost dropped the teacup in his hand and almost spat out the tea.
Didn't Madam Qin think about Xin'er's appearance? How could she catch the Emperor's eye?
Lan Cengui suddenly lowered his voice.
"Not Xin'er."
"If not Xin'er, then who?"
Madam Qin was shocked.
Looking at Lan Cengui with a strange smile on his face, a bad feeling welled up in her heart. Could it be Lan Miao?
"Hubby, are you all right?"
"Lan Miao... how could she enter...?"
Madam Qin stammered and didn't even dare to finish her speculation. If Lan Miao really could enter the palace and become a noble consort, she would surely vomit blood.
Lan Miao, a widow. To put it bluntly, she was like a withered flower. And she even had a burden of her dead husband's daughter. How could the Emperor take a fancy to her?
But Lan Cengui made a "shh" gesture to Madam Qin. "Before the matter is settled, not a single word of this can be revealed. Just act as if you don't know about it and handle the matter of Lan Miao's divorce from the Marquis Mansion well."
Madam Qin stood there stunned, so angry that she was at a loss.
Lan Miao, why?
They had another long secret conversation in the room. At this moment, a figure quietly slipped past the window.