Chapter 120: The East Window Incident (Part 2)

  Xue Mingrui returned to the mansion, changed his clothes and came to Old Madam's room, and dinner officially began.

  The new chef indeed made many novel dishes, and the old lady used a lot of them. The people in the second house all had very bright faces.

  After dinner, the old lady kept everyone to drink tea. Xue Mingrui was on the side, and Xue Mingbai was not as enthusiastic as before. It wasn't until people from each house had left one after another that the second house found an excuse to stay behind.

  Ronghua followed Xue Mingrui into Mrs. Xue's room and sat down.

  Madam Xue wore a purple-red embroidered jacket and sat with Xue Mingrui on one side, talking.

  Ronghua listened quietly beside her and then found an opportunity to tell Mrs. Xue that she wanted to send the accompanying house brought from her mother's home to the villa managed by her.

  "Those people are all used by the old lady, how can they be replaced just like that."

  Ronghua smiled, "It's not that I want to replace you, it's just that in the past, ordinary tasks were handled differently." Although she didn't say it directly, Madam Xue should be able to understand what she meant. As for those two Zhuangzi, even if she had someone come over and ask, it was just a surface-level inquiry; the actual situation still needed to be investigated before discussing it with her.

  Mrs. Xue nodded, "That's alright." This was also in line with the rules.

  "Then I'll go and make arrangements."

  Mrs. Xue sipped some tea and said to Xue Mingrui, "I heard that the old lady wants someone to clean up the yard in the suburbs." She frowned as she spoke, "Everyone says it's good there, but I don't think so. It's not like it's too far away, and how cool can it be? Besides, Beijing is only hot for a few days, and we can just endure it."

  Ronghua looked at Mrs. Xue for the second time, and Mrs. Xue's eyes revealed a look of annoyance whenever she mentioned A'Dou. It seemed that if Old Lady Xue suggested going to A'Dou, Mrs. Xue might not follow along.

  "On the way back, when we got to a quiet place, Xue Mingrui suddenly mentioned, 'My father passed away in Beijing.'"

  Ronghua was slightly surprised by these words, not because of anything else, but simply because she hadn't expected Xue Mingrui to mention past events with her at this time.

  During the time she spent with Xue Mingrui, she could feel that he was a person who didn't like to reveal his thoughts to others and hid himself very deeply. In this mansion, neither Old Madam nor Madame Xue knew what he was thinking in his heart, so it was actually not easy to occasionally hear his inner words.

  Mrs. Xue's few words touched Xue Mingrui, making him recall past events as well.

  The two of them returned to the house and changed their clothes, telling the maids to withdraw.

  Rong Hua bit her lip and asked, "What happened to Father?"

  Xue Mingrui said: "My father was in poor health at that time, and he was injured while accompanying the emperor on a long journey."

  They are all superficial reasons.

  No matter what, he probably wouldn't be willing to tell her the truth. She had her own thoughts when she married him, and he had his own plans when he married her. So for this marriage, it's already the best if they can respect each other, there won't be a more expected result.

  Just like she wouldn't talk about her past with him.

  Rong Hua smiled slightly and stopped asking further questions.

  Xue Mingrui glanced at Rong Hua. She just comforted him a few words and didn't ask again, from knowing her to now, she has done everything perfectly, with suitable care and consideration for him, neither asking too much of him nor inquiring about other things.

  Logically speaking, she should be able to meet his expectations, help him manage the household, and not panic at critical moments... but sometimes he still can't help but wonder what's really going on in her mind.

  Under the lamp, Yung Hua is doing needlework, occasionally thinking deeply.

  Xue Mingrui said lightly: "What are you thinking about?"

  Xue Mingrui suddenly asked, Rong Hua was slightly stunned and immediately withdrew her thoughts. What to say? Tell the truth?

  Ronghua suddenly changed the subject, "Nothing much, I went to Changning Bo's house today and met Mrs. Cai of Yicheng Hou, Mrs. Cai mentioned going with the Emperor to avoid the heat, and asked if Master Hou would follow."

  She knew she wasn't thinking about this just now.

  Xue Mingrui murmured a faint "en", and then there was nothing else.

  I know she's thinking of something else in her heart. I don't know why, but this quiet atmosphere makes people feel a bit uncomfortable.

  She and Xue Mingrui both had their own thoughts, neither of whom was willing to put down their guard and say what they had in mind.

  Finally got to sleep.

  Xue Mingrui reads a book outside the bed, while Rong Hua goes inside to sleep.

  Lying down for a while, Rong Hua tossed and turned but couldn't fall asleep no matter what.

  "Does Master Hou know about Man'er's situation?"

  Xue Mingrui's hand paused as she flipped through the book. She turned over a few times, and finally couldn't help but speak up, but didn't expect her to ask this.

  "I heard something."

  "It was Old Lady who suppressed this matter, actually I think..." Rong Hua stopped abruptly.

  Xue Mingrui looked sideways, she was a bit hesitant, seemingly not very used to saying such things.

  For the first time trying to communicate his own thoughts with others, it was really a bit difficult. Rong Hua said: "The matter of accompanying you was also asked by Old Madam first..." Before he could finish speaking.

  "Do you think I should listen to grandma's opinion?" His face suddenly sank, his eyes somewhat sharp.

  "I didn't mean it like that..." she hastened to explain.

  "Did your grandmother call you over and say something?"

  Rong Hua was slightly startled, how could Xue Mingrui think this way, "No."

  Xue Mingrui looked at the book in his hand again and stopped talking, his eyebrows deeply furrowed.

  Why did she mention Old Madam, and his thoughts were that Old Madam had said something to her? The Second House's behavior today seemed to be unwilling to accompany them, but Old Madam's intention was to bring the family together to avoid the heat. In fact, it went against the Second House's idea, but coincided with Xue Mingrui's idea, although not completely consistent, at least in some aspects... She always felt that she didn't have to listen to Old Madam, and didn't have to go as far as Old Madam did, otherwise the Eldest House wouldn't be in this situation.

  She wasn't trying to persuade Xue Mingrui to listen to what the old lady had to say, she just wanted to mention that the second house might stay in Kyoto, these plans wouldn't be known to others until the end, what if Xue Mingrui had other ideas about this, it's better to prepare ahead of time, after all, the Xue family hadn't split up yet, everyone was still united.

  It seems her words were somewhat unnecessary.

  Xue Mingrui will always know what can be known, no need for her to remind him.

  Rong Hua turned around, she was momentarily careless and forgot his taboo, if he hadn't asked first, she wouldn't have said anything either.

  ……

  The next day, Ronghua paid her respects to the old lady.

  At noon, the old lady called Ronghua over for lunch.

  The old lady smiled and said: "The invitation to enter the palace has been received, and in two days you will follow me to the palace to thank the Empress Dowager and the Imperial Noble Consort."

  I didn't expect the imperial edict to be approved so quickly, normally it's not allowed to enter the palace unless there is a special decree from the emperor.

  The old lady said: "Have someone bring out the embroidered clothes and colorful hats in advance."

  Ronghua nodded and listened to some instructions from the old lady. After dinner, she returned to her room to rest.

  Ronghua didn't sleep well last night and fell asleep as soon as he lay down.

  In a daze, she felt someone calling her. Rong Hua wanted to open her eyes, but her eyelids were heavy, until someone pushed her shoulder and she suddenly woke up.

  Rong Hua saw Chun Yao's anxious face and Jin Xiu also frowned and stood aside, so she raised her body and asked, "What's wrong?"

  Chun Yao said in a low voice: "Madam Chen has arrived, she has an urgent matter to discuss with the mistress."

  "Go and invite him in quickly."

  Chun Yao hastily went down, Jin Xiu came forward to attend to Rong Hua getting up.

  Rong Hua asked Jinxiu in a low voice, "What did Chen Mama say?"

  "Madam, don't be in a hurry," Jinxiu said. "Just now I went out to greet them with Chunyao sister, and Chen mom said that something has happened at home."

  Something happened at home, what could it be? Could it be Gu Ying?

  Even Gu Ying shouldn't be this fast.

  Ronghua put on her clothes and came out of the inner room, and Chen's mother was invited into the house.

  Madam Chen stepped forward and greeted Ronghua, "Eighth Aunt," she said, looking around to make sure no outsiders were present, then leaned in close to Ronghua and whispered, "Auntie, you'd better hurry back home and take a look. Something big has happened at your house."

  Ronghua said: "Aunt Chen, don't be in a hurry, what's going on?"

  Madam Chen said: "The people from Shuntianfu arrived at our home early in the morning, asked about the fifth young lady's situation, and sealed off the courtyard where the fifth young lady used to live."

  Rong Hua was taken aback for a moment, she still thought it was about Gu Ying's matter, but how could someone ask about the fifth young lady.

  Mrs. Chen was anxious on the side, Rong Hua was still a bit dazed, didn't expect that past events would be brought up like this. The people from Shun Tian Fu asked, could it be that someone suspected her death? Who would have dug up this matter again.

  "The specific slave doesn't know, just hurriedly came out to find the ladies to go back, the big wife is now ill in bed and can't move, the old master is also busy dealing with those officials, it's good for the ladies to go back and have a discussion."

  Ronghua heard this and hastily said: "I'll go tell Madam, then I'll return with Chen's mother."

  Mrs. Chen nodded.

  Mu Ge poured tea for Chen's mother to drink, and several maids all looked down with gloomy faces, not daring to speak.

  Ronghua told Mrs. Xue and took Jinxiu and Chen Mama together in a carriage back to the Tao Mansion.

  Entering the Weeping Flower Gate, Rui Qing was already waiting there, letting Jin Xiu and Chen Mama go rest while following Rong Hua into Old Lady's quarters.

  "Grandma." Ronghua went into the inner room to pay respects to the old lady.

  The old lady hurriedly got her up, "Just came back yesterday, and today you're called over again, what did the husband's family say?"

  Ronghua said: "Madam is a good talker, she only asked me to take care of grandmother and mother, but didn't say anything else."

  The old lady nodded and let out a sigh of relief, "Among these girls, I think you're the only suitable one, so I had someone talk to you first."

  Rong Hua asked: "I heard Chen Mama say something, how did the people from Shun Tian Fu come to our house and ask about Fifth Sister?"

  The old lady's eyes sank, "Originally it had nothing to do with us, just a peasant woman accusing her daughter's husband's family of poisoning their own daughter. The yamen wanted to open the coffin and examine the body, but as a result, they dug up a set of remains in the chaotic burial mound, and for some reason, the people from Shuntian Prefecture insisted that these remains were your fifth sister, so they came looking for you."

  It happened, guess who exposed it.