Chapter 136 Aunt Cui is here
Mengxi and Zhiqiu were walking in the flower garden. When they saw the Second Master coming, they hurried forward and bowed softly:
"Second Master An"
Stopping his steps and looking at Mengxi in front of him, Xiao Jun was filled with emotion. In his mind, this vicious woman actually had a soft heart. She was a gentle and affectionate concubine, but she personally killed his Ming'er. Her kind-looking mother, however, treated his wife harshly behind her back. All of this overturned all his perceptions of women overnight. At this moment, Xiao Jun felt that the road ahead was so desolate and it was too lonely to walk alone. He really wanted to ask her to accompany him for a while, without saying anything, just to walk with him silently. But when he met her calm eyes, he was speechless.
The two of them just stared at each other for a long time. Xiao Jun nodded at her and walked past her without saying a word. His loose clothes trembled in the autumn wind and a field of fallen cherry blossoms floated by behind him.
Miss Xiu'er appeared at the corner, blocking Xiao Jun's way. She walked up to Xiao Jun and said something, and then the two of them walked out of the garden side by side. Looking at the perfect couple disappearing around the corner, Mengxi felt lonely.
If it weren't for her, he and Miss Xiu would have been a loving couple long ago. It was she who squeezed in between them. If she hadn't pointed out that his two daughters were poisoned, his concubine would not have died. Does he have any hatred?
Two people who had married in the middle of summer were now sitting in silence in the autumn wind. She could only blame the heaven for being blind and fate for playing tricks on her. Who should she hate?
"Second Madam, it's getting cold, we should go back early. The Crown Prince has sent someone to deliver a birthday gift. I heard that the one who came is Li Zan, one of the Four Young Masters of Pingyang, who is famous for his writing. He sent it with gongs and drums, and the whole of Pingyang is talking about this matter. Li Zan is now in the outer study with the eldest master. For some reason, the eldest master didn't let the second master, who is also one of the Four Young Masters of Pingyang, meet the guest. Second Madam, why don't we go and take a look secretly?"
Zhiqiu's voice woke Mengxi up from his deep thoughts. He sighed unconsciously. But autumn is here, why is he so sentimental? He is not Lin Daiyu. He shook his head vigorously and looked at Zhiqiu's nervous expression. He knew that she said this because she was worried about him, so he knocked on her forehead:
"Are you looking at the birthday gift secretly, or at Master Li?"
Zhiqiu blushed and pouted:
"The Second Madam is becoming more and more outspoken. If the First Madam hears this, she will have to kneel for another hour."
Meng Xibai glanced at her:
"It was you who suggested that we watch secretly, so why did you assign me the responsibility?"
Seeing Zhiqiu pouting and not speaking for a long time, Mengxi said:
"You, Master Li doesn't have any flowers on his face, what's there to see? You might as well go to the garden at the back and look around. I heard that the Second Master has planted a lot of fine herbs and wild vegetables there, and now is the harvest season."
"Second Madam, it's the fourth young master of Pingyang, very famous. I've read his articles before, they are very dignified. Unfortunately, we can't leave the house on weekdays, so how can we have such an opportunity! Second Madam, it seems that the Xiao family is very powerful. Didn't you see that outside the house, there is a long line of people coming to send birthday gifts these two days? I also heard that the prince will come to the old lady's house in person to celebrate her birthday. Maybe we can see the future emperor then!"
Listening to Zhiqiu's endless chatter and looking at the little stars flashing in her eyes, like a star-chaser, Mengxi said helplessly:
"Let's go! Let's go and see if the four young masters of Pingyang are the same as the Second Master?"
As the master and servant were walking forward, they saw Zhixia coming towards them in a hurry. When she saw the Second Madam, she said:
"Second Madam, I have looked around and finally found you. The old lady sent a message saying that Xiu'er's mother, Aunt Cui, is here and she is in a hurry for you to go to Shouxi Hall to pay your respects."
After hearing this, Mengxi and Zhiqiu hurried back to the east wing. Zhichun had already prepared the auspicious dress for meeting the foreign guest. Mengxi took a look and saw that it was a red brocade dress with peonies. He frowned:
"It's just a visit to my aunt, not a formal birthday celebration, there's no need to be so formal. Besides, this dress is too bright, let's change it."
"Second Madam, this is what I specially chose. I heard that Miss Xiu has just gone to Shouxi Hall with Second Master. Miss Xiu dressed up specially today. Second Madam can't be outdone by her in front of Aunt Cui and Second Master. I heard that Miss Xiu wore white, so Grandma wore red to remind Miss Xiu that you are the legal wife. Besides, it will be the old lady's birthday soon. This will make it look festive and the old lady will definitely be happy."
Mengxi looked at . Zhichun had always been wholeheartedly trying to match her with Erye, hoping that she could have a good home. Little did she know that no matter how prettily she dressed up, her fate with Erye was destined to be fruitless. She was not even as good as the flowers in the flower shop. At least those flowers still had one season of beauty.
"Just wear that light blue lily wedding dress, it's simple and elegant yet noble."
Mengxi said as she sat in front of the dressing mirror and let Zhiqiu comb her hair.
Zhichun pouted and reluctantly began to prepare clothes again. Zhiqiu had already tied up a lily bun for Second Madam and carefully selected a hollow silver hairpin and inserted it into the bun. The crystal tassels swayed in front of her forehead. Zhichun helped Second Madam put on the light blue lily brocade wedding dress. After everything was ready, Mengxi turned around gently, looking like an orchid in the valley, very charming. Zhichun finally smiled again:
"Second Madam looks good in this dress. It will instantly stun people when they see it."
Mengxi rolled her eyes at her. How come she looked just like Nie Xiaoqian, the ghost girl who specialized in seducing people's souls, when she put it that way?
Mengxi held Zhiqiu's hand and walked into the house. After turning around the screen, she saw the old lady, the first wife, the second master, and Miss Xiu were all there. There was a person dressed like a noblewoman sitting on the right side of the old lady. She must be Miss Xiu's mother, Aunt Cui, the wife of the censor. When the old lady saw her come in, she waved and said,
"Xi'er, come and meet your aunt."
Mengxi walked forward slowly and bowed: "Mengxi greets auntie, I hope you are well."
Aunt Cui quickly reached out and helped Mengxi up. She looked at him carefully and exclaimed in amazement:
"The old lady is so lucky to have married such a beautiful granddaughter-in-law. I almost lost my soul when I saw her."
"Mother"
When Xiu'er heard her mother praising her cousin's wife for her beauty, she hurriedly looked at her cousin and discovered that he was staring at his cousin's wife. She felt resentful, but because the old lady and others were present, she couldn't show it, so she could only call out in a delicate voice.
Mengxi looked in the direction of the voice and saw Xiu'er wearing a white peony long brocade dress. A white brocade belt outlined her enviable slender waist, and a watercolor open gauze dress on the outside. The whole person looked like a butterfly dancing in the wind, with delicate eyebrows and a small nose. It was obvious that she was carefully dressed up and extremely charming. She was glad that she didn't listen to Zhichun and wear the red auspicious dress, otherwise, the red peony and the white peony would really compete for beauty.
When Aunt Cui heard her daughter calling her, she remembered that the Second Madam was her daughter's mortal enemy. She coughed unconsciously and sat there awkwardly, not knowing what to say.
When the old lady saw this, she hurriedly said, "Xi'er, come and sit down. Your aunt brought gifts for you and Jun'er."
After hearing this, Mengxi hurried over to greet the old lady, the first wife, and the second master respectively, and thanked Aunt Cui for the gift before sitting down next to the first wife.
Seeing Mengxi sitting down, the old lady started chatting with Aunt Cui and the first wife about family matters, which were nothing more than some etiquette and customs of the family and some funny things that made people laugh. Mengxi couldn't leave, so she had to sit there upright, listening attentively, and acting like a lady from a noble family.
Occasionally, she glanced at the Second Master, who had a rare peaceful look on his face. When he saw her looking over, he nodded in a friendly manner, and couldn't help but sigh: Seeing my future mother-in-law, all my worries are gone. I was just so sad because of my concubine's death. This man is really unreliable!
