The moon had set, the stars had faded, and the eastern sky had begun to lighten with the pale glow of dawn.
Having just changed locations, Jiang Xuening was extremely unaccustomed to her new surroundings. She had barely slept throughout the night. While she was still drowsy, her mother came over to wake her, intending to take her to pay her respects to Legal Mother.
In prestigious households, there were many rules. Concubines had to pay their respects to the principal wife every morning and evening, while illegitimate sons and daughters also had to accompany their mothers, kneel, and pay their respects.
Jiang Xuening forced herself to stay awake, quickly freshened up, and followed her mother toward Begonia Courtyard.
Her mother seemed somewhat restless along the way. She was probably worried that they would encounter Concubine Xia when they went to pay their respects.
But Jiang Xuening was not afraid.
If Concubine Xia dared to bully her mother again, she would still stand in front of her mother to protect her. At worst, she would knock the woman flat on her back again, then return to the Rural Estate to continue her period of reflection.
However, when they arrived at Legal Mother’s Begonia Courtyard, Concubine Xia was nowhere to be seen.
After asking a Maid, they learned that Father had gone out of town on official business some time ago, and Legal Mother had arranged for Concubine Xia to accompany him and take care of his daily needs. She had yet to return.
Jiang Xuening saw that her mother had clearly breathed a sigh of relief.
The mother and daughter waited outside the main hall for about a quarter of an hour. They did not wait for the Maid responsible for announcing their arrival to invite them inside. Instead, Madam Zhou, who had already dressed and made herself up appropriately, walked out.
“Come with me to the Old Madam’s courtyard.”
“Yes.”
……
Lingchun Courtyard.
Apart from Legal Mother Madam Zhou, her mother and herself, the wife of the second branch had also brought two concubines and their children to pay their respects to the Old Madam.
There were usually not so many people in Lingchun Courtyard because the Old Madam preferred peace and quiet. She only required everyone to come and pay their respects on the first and fifteenth days of each month.
Yesterday, Jiang Xuening and her mother had suddenly returned to the residence, inevitably arousing the curiosity of the others. Thus, the people from the second branch had also used the excuse of paying their respects to come and take a look at the mother and daughter.
After they had paid their respects, the Old Madam sent the people from the second branch away and only asked those from the first branch to stay and talk.
Jiang Xuening’s instincts told her that the sudden summons for her and her mother to return to the residence was not some act of kindness. Something must have happened in the household, and there must be some use for the two of them.
But her mother came from a farming family and had neither power nor influence. There was nothing about her that could be used.
As for herself, she was no different from her mother in that regard. The only difference was that she was in the prime of her youth, and her appearance was considered quite good. She was also at exactly the age when elders could use her for a marriage alliance.
Sure enough, after some pleasantries, Grandmother suddenly mentioned, “Ning girl is sixteen this year, isn’t she?”
Su Shi hurriedly replied, “Yes. Once next month passes, she will officially be sixteen.”
“Hmm. She is also at the age when she should be married. I won’t beat around the bush with you. I had the two of you brought back to the residence because there is a marriage proposal I would like to make for Ning girl…”
Jiang Xuening had already expected this, so she was not surprised in the slightest when Grandmother said those words. She merely watched her quietly.
Su Shi had clearly thought of this possibility as well. She shifted uneasily in her seat and asked, “May I ask which family has taken a liking to Ning’er?”
She guessed that it probably would not be a good marriage.
After all, an illegitimate daughter who was beautiful but of low status was the most suitable pawn in the household for exchanging favors and securing benefits.
Jiang Xuening thought the same way.
Just as she was wondering whether Grandmother intended to make her a concubine or have her become someone’s second wife, she heard Grandmother clearly say, one word at a time,
“The Heir Apparent of Jingning Marquis’s Residence, Shen Yi.”
A Marquis’s Residence?
An Heir Apparent?
Su Shi was so shocked that she abruptly stood up.
“Old Madam, did I hear you incorrectly? The Heir Apparent of Jingning Marquis’s Residence… wants to take Ning’er as his concubine?”
It was not that she, as a mother, looked down on her daughter.
It was simply that the difference in their statuses was far too great. No matter which family’s illegitimate daughter it was, it was impossible for her to marry the Heir Apparent of a Marquis’s Residence as his principal wife.
“Not as a concubine. As his principal wife.”
As soon as those words fell, the main hall fell into silence.
Su Shi and Jiang Xuening were both stunned. It took them a while to fully comprehend what they had just heard.
“Have Ning’er become the Heir Apparent’s wife?”
Su Shi’s face was filled with disbelief.
“How could that be possible? Could it be…”
Could it be that the Heir Apparent of Jingning Marquis’s Residence was ugly and violent, to the point that ordinary noble ladies were unwilling to marry him?
Or perhaps he suffered from some chronic illness or physical defect?
Maybe he had some other hidden ailment?
The more Su Shi thought about it, the more alarmed she became. She was just about to ask when the Old Madam saw straight through her thoughts.
“Don’t worry. That Shen Heir Apparent is handsome and distinguished, and he is still young. He came of age last year and is currently serving at the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. Whether in appearance or character, he is outstanding in every respect. He is nothing like what you are imagining…”
Hearing this, Su Shi became even more puzzled.
“If the Shen Heir Apparent is truly so outstanding, why would he take a liking to Ning’er?”
The Old Madam impatiently interrupted her.
“I’ll tell you the truth. The Marquis’s Residence isn’t interested in Ning girl. They are interested in Qing girl…”
The “Qing girl” the Old Madam referred to was the Fifth Miss of the residence, Jiang Xueqing. She was the daughter of the wife of the first branch and was two years older than Jiang Xuening.
Jiang Xuening could no longer remember what her Fifth Sister looked like. She only remembered that when they were children, her Fifth Sister had been delicate and spoiled, with a bad temper. She had often looked down on others as though she were superior to them.
It turned out that the Marquis’s Residence had taken a liking to Fifth Sister.
Although there was still a difference between the status of the two families, Fifth Sister was the only Legitimate Daughter of the first branch, so she was indeed well matched with the Shen Heir Apparent.
“If the Marquis’s Residence has taken a liking to Fifth Miss, then why does Ning’er have to marry him?”
Jiang Xuening heard her mother ask Grandmother anxiously.
“Something happened to Qing girl. She can no longer marry him…”
“May I ask what happened to Fifth Miss?”
The Old Madam frowned and briefly explained the matter to them.
It turned out that at the beginning of this month, Jiang Xueqing had gone to the western part of the city to enjoy the spring scenery by the lake. She had accidentally fallen into the water. When someone rescued her, her body had been touched in the process, damaging her reputation and virtue.
That was why she could no longer marry the Heir Apparent of the Marquis’s Residence.
“Little Fifth may no longer be able to marry him, but this marriage proposal was not easy to obtain. Rather than giving it away to another family, it would be better to let one of our own girls benefit from it.”
The Old Madam glanced at Jiang Xuening.
“I have already secretly had someone calculate Ning girl’s and the Shen Heir Apparent’s birth charts. Their fates are compatible, and they are well matched.”
Su Shi was still hesitant.
“Even if their birth charts are compatible, Ning’er’s status cannot compare to Fifth Miss’s. I’m afraid the Marquis’s Residence won’t agree.”
Although the Marquis’s Residence was prestigious, Su Shi was genuinely unwilling to let her daughter reach for such a lofty branch.
Marrying into a prestigious household might appear glorious from the outside, but the bitterness and hardships hidden within it were something Su Shi understood all too well.
The Old Madam had known she would have such concerns, so she gave the daughter-in-law of the first branch, Madam Zhou, a meaningful look.
Madam Zhou understood and spoke to Su Shi.
“The Marquis’s Residence naturally wouldn’t marry an illegitimate daughter as the Heir Apparent’s principal wife. But if Ning’er were entered into my family register under my name, she would become the legitimate Sixth Miss of Zhongcheng Residence. In that case, the Marquis’s Residence might agree…”
Su Shi had originally rejected this advantageous marriage again and again.
But when she heard that her daughter could change from an illegitimate daughter into a Legitimate Daughter, her heart trembled, and she became deeply tempted.
Her own birth was lowly, and she had ended up as someone’s concubine. This was probably how her life would remain.
But her daughter now had a chance to change her fate.
If she became a Legitimate Daughter instead of an illegitimate one, she would no longer have to endure people’s contempt in the future. Her marriage prospects, future, and dignity would all be completely different.
It was difficult not to be tempted.
Jiang Xuening had remained quietly by her mother’s side the entire time, listening to their conversation.
Although this marriage sounded wonderful, Jiang Xuening always felt that there was some hidden scheme behind it that she did not know about.
This ominous premonition instinctively made her want to keep her distance from the marriage.
Seeing that the resistance on her mother’s face was gradually fading and that she clearly intended to agree, Jiang Xuening spoke before her mother could say anything.
“Grandmother, Mother, this matter is of great importance. Please allow me to return and think it over carefully for a few days…”
Grandmother’s expression immediately darkened.
“For a young woman, marriage has always been decided by her parents and arranged by a matchmaker. Whatever your elders arrange, you need only obey. Don’t be so ungrateful…”