First Master was full of astonishment; he hadn’t expected Xiqiu to refuse, and even Laiwang didn’t anticipate Xiqiu’s response. Maid Sixing and Maid Siliu were equally shocked, not understanding why Xiqiu suddenly refused Manager Lai.
"Of course, it is possible! However, Fugui is one of the best in the manor and is Laiwang’s eldest son from his wife. Lady mentioned this marriage a few days ago... Sixth Girl, do you not want to consider it?"
It seemed First Master was in a very good mood today; he was actually acting as a matchmaker!
Laiwang was anxious as well, clasping his hands towards Xiqiu: "Sixth Miss, Fugui is honest and sincere; he will surely treat Maid Siliu well. Please agree to this marriage. I guarantee a lavish betrothal gift and a grand wedding for Maid Siliu."
Xiqiu appeared hesitant, hanging her head as if weighing her options. After a moment, she reluctantly raised her head and nodded grudgingly: "Alright, since my father is acting as matchmaker and Manager Lai guarantees it, refusing would seem unreasonable." The source of thɪs content is N()velFire.net
Manager Lai wiped his sweat, while First Master, seeing the serious look on Xiqiu’s face, smiled faintly, his expression joyful: "Since it’s agreed, let’s not delay the wedding. Today is April 28th; how about May 10th? Twelve days should be enough for Laiwang to prepare the bridal chamber."
Even Xiqiu was surprised this time; she hadn’t expected Siliu to get married so soon. As long as the marriage was settled, she was about to object, but Laiwang promptly nodded: "The bridal chamber was ready before New Year; just waiting for the daughter-in-law to move in."
First Master watched Xiqiu, who seemed to swallow a silent loss and couldn’t argue against the simple truth, and burst into laughter.
Xiqiu turned to look at Siliu, full of helplessness. Siliu, already overwhelmed and unable to stand on her own without Maid Sixing’s support, might have collapsed to the ground otherwise.
The marriage she had been thinking about for so long was unexpectedly settled, and in just over ten days, she was to be married...
She couldn’t quite absorb this news.
"Hurry and thank First Master and greet Manager Lai," said Xiqiu. Upon hearing Xiqiu’s words, Siliu stood stunned, walked forward, and knelt to the First Master: "This servant thanks Master." She then rose and saluted Laiwang: "Manager Lai."
Laiwang finally exhaled the breath he had been holding for so long.
Once Xiqiu left with her two maids, First Master and Laiwang entered the study. As soon as they got inside, Laiwang knelt on the ground: "Master, my family has long had an eye on Maid Siliu, but I didn’t dare bring it up with Lady. Others have been talking, saying that I’m abusing Master’s power to domineer in the manor!" He paused and looked at First Master: "Seeing that you were about to leave, I hurried over. I didn’t expect Sixth Miss to be here too. I think it was fate, so I seized the opportunity to plead for this favor!"
First Master smiled at him: "Don’t kneel for every little thing, get up!" He walked behind the desk, sat down, and continued: "How could I not see your intentions? But it’s better to seek Lady for such matters. She has always managed the inner courtyard affairs. If I interfere once or twice, she might hold it against me. I’m not always here, so you’ll need to be more mindful of the outer courtyard and not report everything to Lady!"
Manager Lai stood up, nodding: "I understand." First Master nodded slightly: "This is good. There’s nothing much I can do for her and her son. With this connection, you can look out for her, which eases my mind."
Manager Lai sighed and remained silent.
"Miss, did you arrange this with Manager Lai deliberately to stage a scene before First Master?" Chunyan teased, looking at the blushing Siliu.
Xiqiu placed the "Great Zhou Geography" book on the table, smiling: "I intended to ask Manager Lai to approach Master, but with many matters piling up recently and Master being moody, even Manager Lai dared not speak up. He sent word for me to find a way, so I thought of this plan." She paused and held Siliu’s hand: "I can do so little for you. Tomorrow, I’ll have Chunyan fetch fifty silver coins for you. Whether you want to buy silver hairpieces or save it as a personal dowry is up to you. Once you’re married, I won’t be able to oversee you all the time, so you’ll have to learn to be prudent and not act impulsively, understand?"
"Miss." Siliu knelt by Xiqiu’s side, crying on her knees: "Miss, though I wish to marry Fugui, I never wanted to marry so soon. I hoped to wait until after you are married! Miss, can’t you speak to First Master and postpone the wedding by two years? I can’t bear to leave you."
Though she cried fiercely, Xiqiu laughed: "Oh, it sounds easy. First Master already suspects that Manager Lai and I colluded. After much effort to dispel his doubts and let him think he gave Manager Lai a favor casually, if I were to postpone the wedding now, that would embarrass First Master!"
Siliu paused, murmuring: "Then what should I do?"
Chunyan cheerfully joined in, pinching her cheek teasingly: "What do you do? Get married!" Maid Sixing also covered her mouth, laughing: "Otherwise, Miss could call off the marriage, saving you from crying on Miss’s lap and making her comfort you."
Siliu startled and truly contemplated the feasibility of Maid Sixing’s suggestion, but Xiqiu, pulling her to sit by her side, smiled: "Don’t think about it. As long as you and Fugui have a good future, it doesn’t matter if you’re by my side."
These words made Maid Sixing and Chunyan’s eyes redden. Maid Sixing, who joined the manor at the same time as Siliu, choked up: "With Miss marrying off Siliu, leave us a few more years, Miss. If all of us go, who’d serve you? Replacing us with others wouldn’t rest easy on us."
Xiqiu smiled faintly without speaking, and the room fell silent for a moment. Chunyan, feeling it’s a joyous occasion and there’s no need to feel sad, wiped her tears and asked Siliu, "You haven’t answered Miss’s question." Siliu was puzzled: "What question?"
Chunyan covered her mouth with a handkerchief, smiling: "The fifty silver coins for your dowry will be the first of its kind from our manor. So, are you planning to save it for the future or spend it on your dowry?" Although both involve fifty coins, how it’s used varies greatly, and the effects are completely different. Spending it all on a dowry adds grandeur while leaving the manor, and outsiders view it as pride — a reflection of Zhiqu Courtyard, showing Xiqiu as a great mistress with a maid’s lavish dowry.
But saving it for the future, while outsiders see nothing and it appears otherwise on the surface, Siliu would have it as personal backup silver in hand!
Siliu, until now consumed by sadness, had forgotten about this matter and turned to Xiqiu: "Miss, there are only fifty silver coins left in the house budget. We won’t receive the monthly allowance until the fifth, so what if I need money... I don’t need that much for the dowry, just give me twenty silver coins for the wedding." Then she said earnestly: "Manager Lai said the dowry would be substantial, and it won’t matter if it’s from Miss when it’s paraded out later, would it?"