Chapter 105: Making the First Move

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Xu Ruojin’s offhand joke nearly frightened Hongxing and Chuncao to tears! Chuncao quickly stopped Hongxing and threw herself beside Xu Ruojin, trying to soothe her:

“Second Miss, you mustn’t do such a foolish thing! Madam hasn’t even agreed to the eldest young master’s proposal yet. Ultimately, we still have to listen to Master. How can you jump to the worst conclusions now?”

Chuncao wiped away her tears. Hongxing hadn’t followed them to the main courtyard today, so she was unaware of the conversation between Xu Zilin and Madam Yang. Seeing Chuncao’s distressed expression, Hongxing also grew anxious.

“Second Miss, although I’ve served you for a long time, I truly admire your decisiveness and sharp mind. You always foresee and plan everything meticulously. But if you insist on the white silk ribbon, I won’t go with you. I’m counting on living a good life by your side.”

“Wasn’t it you who told me to always think positively?” Xu Ruojin said.

Chuncao nodded repeatedly. “Hongxing is right. You mustn’t do anything foolish!”

“Oh, what are you two thinking? How could I possibly take my own life? I just want to scare Mother a little, and to make Father aware as well.”

Xu Ruojin took their hands in hers. “I know what’s in your hearts. To be honest, you two are the only ones I trust. No matter what, we have to take a stand. We can’t just be pawns and become a concubine. Besides, I don’t want to marry at all.”

“Don’t listen to Brother’s flowery talk. If I really entered the Zhang family as a concubine, it would be like admitting my innocence had been defiled.”

Xu Ruojin sneered coldly. “But Brother doesn’t even bother to consider such things. Mother only cares about sealing the marriage for the family’s reputation. Although Zi Mo treats me well, he’s young, and no one listens to him. Father is our last hope.”

Hongxing understood a little more. Chuncao patted her chest, finally relieved. “I told you, you wouldn’t do anything foolish. I was just too anxious.”

“So this matter must be brought to Father’s attention.”

Xu Ruojin looked at Hongxing. “Before Mother talks to Father, we have to let Father know about our plan. Chuncao can’t do it as well as you, so I’m leaving it to you.”

“Second Miss, rest assured, I’ll handle it properly!”

Hongxing patted her chest and discussed a few more details with Xu Ruojin before hurrying out of the courtyard.

When it came to spreading rumors with exaggerations, Hongxing was not only better than Chuncao but even surpassed Xu Ruojin herself.

Before finding Madam Huang, she first went to the main kitchen and found the fastest-tongued Chen Pozi.

Upon hearing Hongxing wanted a white silk ribbon, Chen Pozi’s curiosity was piqued, but Hongxing refused to say what it was for, only that Second Miss had asked her to find it. But such an item was not easy to come by.

Wearing a frustrated and helpless expression, Hongxing then hurried to look for Madam Huang.

Chen Pozi turned and told the other kitchen maids, and soon the older women gathered, chattering among themselves.

When the words “white silk ribbon” were mentioned, naturally only one thing came to mind: hanging.

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Just thinking of those two words sent chills down everyone’s spines.

Before long, almost no one in the mansion was unaware that the Second Miss intended to end her own life.

Hongxing was now telling Madam Huang about the situation, making her break out in a cold sweat.

“What’s going on? Why would the Second Miss suddenly want to do this?”

“How would I know?”

Hongxing frowned. “This morning, Second Miss and Chuncao went to pay respects to Madam, but they returned shortly after leaving. Then she called me over and asked me to find a white silk ribbon. When I asked a few questions, she scolded me, saying none of the family cared about her innocence, so she might as well die.”

“Where did she hear such things?”

Madam Huang certainly didn’t think this was a whim of the Second Miss.

Hongxing pursed her lips, glanced around, and seeing no outsiders, whispered:

“Before I came out, I secretly asked Chuncao. She said it seemed Second Miss overheard Madam and Eldest Young Master talking. Second Miss said that if she entered the Zhang family as a concubine, it would be like admitting her innocence had been defiled. So…”

Madam Huang shuddered in fright.

But there was no way to get a white silk ribbon, so she told Hongxing to return first. “I will discuss this with Madam.”

“How can that be? The Second Miss said if I can’t find it, I shouldn’t come back to the courtyard. Where else can I go?”

Hongxing’s persistence left Madam Huang at a loss. “Just say you found it and personally deliver it to the courtyard.”

“Is that okay?” Hongxing looked troubled.

Madam Huang gritted her teeth and warned, “You foolish girl, if anything happens to the Second Miss, you’ll be the culprit. You can’t escape!”

Hongxing seemed frightened for a moment, then replied indifferently, “Anyway, Madam sent me to the Second Miss. I might as well hang myself too. Life is really meaningless!”

“Don’t talk nonsense! Go quickly!”

Madam Huang forcibly sent Hongxing away, then hurried off to find Madam Yang.

At that moment, Madam Yang was waiting for Xu Yaohui to return from the county office.

She served tea and waited for the maids to set the dishes. Seeing Xu Yaohui’s mood seemed fine, she brought up Xu Ruojin’s marriage:

“The situation has reached this point; the Zhang family probably has other intentions. With the New Year approaching, Master should make a decision. What should we do?”

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Madam Yang didn’t mention Xu Zilin but instead brought up Madam Jiang and Jiang Mingshuang:

“A few days ago, the Jiang family’s daughter came and passed a message to the Second Miss, saying Madam Zhao proposed that the Second Miss enter the Zhang family as a concubine…”

Xu Yaohui frowned deeply. “How could that be?”

“Isn’t the Zhang family still undecided?” Madam Yang quickly retracted her words, looking troubled:

“I’m only thinking of the Second Miss. If the marriage with the Zhang family fails, who else in Zhonglin County would marry her? Wouldn’t that be a disgrace for the family? That would be the worst outcome for her…”

“I understand.”

Xu Yaohui lifted his teacup to his lips, then put it down again. “Don’t interfere with this matter.”

“Master…”

Just then, Chen Pozi and others brought in the food, and Madam Yang quickly stopped talking.

Madam Huang hurried in with a pale face. Seeing Master there, she seemed startled, quickly bowed, and stood aside.

Madam Yang noticed Madam Huang had something on her mind and found an excuse to take her away to wash their hands together.

Chen Pozi arranged the table and invited Xu Yaohui, “Master, please have a seat.”

Xu Yaohui nodded, stood, and sat down, ready to eat.

Suddenly, a sharp scream came from the next room—it was Madam Huang and Madam Yang discussing the Second Miss’s affair.

Madam Yang hadn’t expected the girl to overhear her conversation with Xu Zilin, and she gasped in fright, then scolded Madam Huang to speak later.

Entering the main room, she saw Xu Yaohui frowning and staring at her.

Chen Pozi had already slipped away.

Before leaving, she told Master that the Second Miss had instructed a maid to find a white silk ribbon today, but no one knew what for.

Could Xu Yaohui not understand the hidden meaning?

This matter was probably not as simple as Madam Yang had portrayed it!