strictlysupreme Chapter 127 Join forces
Chapter 127 Join forces
Now that Nan Hongqiu had sent Song Wanshi away, she no longer had any worries in her heart, so she began to think about revenge on Song Wanning peacefully. Seeing that the day agreed upon by Nan Hongqiu and Concubine Xian had arrived, she washed up and finally got on the carriage of the general's mansion and entered the palace.
As the daughter of an official in the capital, Nan Hongqiu had naturally been to the palace before, and had met Concubine Xian before. A few days ago, she had accompanied Song Wanning and talked with Concubine Xian and Princess Xiangyu. Now that she was in the palace for the second time, she felt like a fish in water.
Nan Hongqiu entered Dehua Palace and paid her respects to Princess Xiangyu and Concubine Xian, following all the rules and etiquette.
Concubine Xian looked at Nan Hongqiu with a smile on her face. She just looked at Nan Hongqiu and said, "I have heard that Madam Nan has learned a lot of etiquette and is very careful and proper in everything she does. Now I see that it is indeed the case. I also heard that Madam Nan is very good at needlework. My daughter has been spoiled since she was a child, so her embroidery skills are a mess. I invited Madam Nan to the palace today just to let her teach her... I just don't know what kind of embroidery Madam Nan can do?"
Although Nan Hongqiu knew in her heart why Concubine Xian had summoned her, she still had to put on a show, so she quickly smiled and replied, "Your Highness, I am learning Suzhou embroidery. It is only because I married from the south that I can improve on it. However, Suzhou embroidery is the most challenging skill, and the princess has been pampered since she was a child. It would be bad if she gets hurt while learning embroidery."
After hearing this, Concubine Xian smiled even more. She looked at Nan Hongqiu and said calmly, "Madam Nan also has a daughter. She must understand my heart the best. I hold my daughter in my hands for fear of dropping her and in my mouth for fear of melting her. I wish I could find her whatever she wants. Even if she wants the stars in the sky, I have to find a way to get her. Now that she says she wants to learn embroidery, as a mother, I naturally have to think of a way for her."
"The love that Concubine Xian has for her daughters is beyond our reach. Although I have two daughters at home, I watched helplessly as my daughters were influenced by outsiders and had bad reputations and could not get married, but I could do nothing about it. Now my family is crying while her family is laughing, but I am suffering from the pressure of power and I can't do anything about it." Nan Hongqiu took the opportunity to make some insinuations, and then hurriedly flattered, "Princess Xiangyu is so gentle and lovely, she deserves everything she wants. And as a princess, there is nothing in the world that she can't get."
"It's true that there are some that can't be obtained." Concubine Xian's eyes fell on Nan Hongqiu. "I'm not afraid of you laughing at me. My daughter wanted to marry the Prime Minister before, but she was rejected. My daughter lost face. Now, the Prime Minister and the eldest daughter of your family have been engaged."
Nan Hongqiu suddenly had an idea and quickly said to Concubine Xian, "It's just an engagement. The engagement can be cancelled. As long as they haven't gotten married, it's not too late for all this."
Xian Fei raised her eyebrows and looked at Nan Hongqiu with a smile, "Madam Nan, do you have any good ideas that can help Xiangyu?"
"I have a plan, but I still hope that the Concubine Xian can allocate some manpower, so that this matter can be completed." Nan Hongqiu looked at the Concubine Xian with a smile, and said, "I am willing to help Princess Xiangyu achieve her wish and avenge my poor child."
The virtuous concubine smiled and gave many gifts. They discussed the matter for a while until the afternoon. Then Nan Hongqiu pretended to have finished teaching embroidery and returned home from the palace.
Nan Hongqiu now felt even more proud with the help of Concubine Xian, and went back to the General's Mansion to find the old lady that same day.
The old lady was previously dissatisfied with her for marrying Song Wanshi to the Zhongping Marquis's mansion, but now that she saw that Song Wanshi's face was ruined, she was no longer angry. If Nan Hongqiu didn't prepare a marriage for her quickly, she might not be able to get married.
The old lady still had complaints about Nan Hongqiu, "You, I said long ago that I would have a candidate for Shi Jie'er earlier, but now that second master Bai, who is childless, has seized the opportunity. Shi Jie'er's appearance has been ruined. How could such a good girl become like this around you?"
"It's all my daughter-in-law's fault." Nan Hongqiu didn't dare to refute the old lady now, she just sighed to her, "Grandma, it's not that my daughter-in-law is not doing well, but I think our general's mansion has been unlucky recently. I don't know what kind of evil spirit has touched us, but my sister Shi was poisoned for no apparent reason, and everything is not going well. So I thought about taking the women in my family to the temple in Hongye Mountain to worship, eat vegetarian food and chant Buddhist scriptures for a few days, hoping to get rid of the bad luck and everything will go smoothly in the future."
The old lady just raised her eyelids and said, "You can decide such a small matter by yourself. Why are you talking to me? I am old now and I don't have the energy to take care of your mess."
"The women in the mansion naturally include those from the first house, but Sister Ning has always had her own ideas. If I ask her to go, she may not be willing. For the future of the family, my daughter-in-law wanted to ask the old ancestor for help. If the old ancestor says so, she dare not not go."
The old lady has always been partial to the second wife. After hearing what Nan Hongqiu said, she also responded, "What you said makes sense. Let's have a family dinner tomorrow. I will speak to her in person. Little Ning dare not refuse."
Seeing that the old lady's business was now done, Nan Hongqiu thanked the old lady with a smile before leaving the old lady's yard.
The news of the family dinner soon reached Song Wanning's yard. Song Wanning heard Cai Que muttering beside her, "Another family dinner, don't let any troubles wait."
Zhuque has always been a smart person, and soon found out everything about the family banquet. "I heard from the maid of the second room that it turned out that the second wife felt that the family was too unlucky, so she wanted to take the women in the family to Red Leaf Mountain to bathe and fast for a few days to change their luck."
"If she wants to go, she can go by herself. Don't get involved with our Second Branch." Cai Que sneered, "It's only their Second Branch that's unlucky. Our First Branch has been doing fine this year."
"My good aunt went to pray for blessings. I'm afraid that her intention to get rid of bad luck is fake. I guess her real intention is to bring bad luck to others." Song Wanshi knew everything now. She had guessed what her good aunt was planning before they even had the family dinner.
Cai Que was immediately worried when she heard this. She looked at Song Wanning and said in a low voice, "Miss, if the Second Madam asked you to go with her, you would just say you were not feeling well and refuse."
Song Wanning felt that this matter would not be easily resolved. "I don't know what the situation is now. Let's see what Nan Hongqiu said during the family dinner."