Chapter 126: Grandmother and Sun Nu's Night Talk [Many thanks for everyone's support

A moment later, she opened her eyes and said, "Go tell that steward that our Wang family has just received the letter confirming this matter. Previously, Hong-ge'er said the Yuan family would depart after the fifteenth day of the first lunar month; tell them to hurry to the river to turn them back. Change to a fresh horse and make him return quickly!"

Both Wang Yan and his wife were stunned, for the Wang family had not received any letter at all that day.

Wang Yan asked no further questions but hurried to the front courtyard to write a letter and give it to the Sheng family steward.

Upon hearing Wang Yan's urgent instructions, the Sheng family steward did not even take a sip of water before going out again, swapping for a Wang family horse, and galloping toward Yang Zhou.

Wang Yan also returned to the inner courtyard; Lady Wang dismissed the maids and older women from the room, and looking at Wang Yan and his wife, whose faces were full of confusion, she said, "It is eight or nine parts likely that your eldest sister has let pig oil cloud her heart; for such a major matter, she actually treats it so frivolously, daring to let not a single letter come from the capital! Preposterous!"

Wang Yan and his wife exchanged a glance, and Wang Yan said, "Mother, do you believe this matter concerning the Yuan family is true?"

Lady Wang's eyes were full of sharp light: "That old sister of mine from the Sheng family would not speak rashly without certainty; I just do not know what the 'improper matters' mentioned in the letter are."

"Daughter-in-law, since your family holds great power in Bianjing, you go first and investigate what improper matters the Yuan family has committed."

"Yes, Mother." Wang Yan's wife left her mother-in-law's main hall and came into the courtyard; a faint cold smile played on her lips as she looked at the older nurse brought from her natal family and said, "Hmph, this eldest sister of mine truly cannot distinguish between what is weighty and what is trivial!"

Inside the room, Lady Wang said:

"Yan-er, send a letter to your sister and scold her severely! For such a matter, our family has not received a single word of news; how outrageous!"

"Mother, Eldest Sister has always been willful; it is fortunate she did not let the Yuan family dock, otherwise, one truly could not say what might happen."

"Go then."

Before the hour of Xu by a quarter (around half past seven)

In Yang Zhou, a horse running until it foamed at the mouth arrived at the entrance of the Sheng family residence.

The Sheng family steward was helped into the front hall.

In the inner courtyard,

At Linqi Pavilion, Lin Lin Qinshuang was carefully applying medicine to Sheng Hong; with tears in her eyes and full of pity, she said, "How could Da Da Niangzi be so cruel, injuring Hong-lang like this? How will Hong-lang go to the government office tomorrow?"

"Hong-lang, did Shuang-er hurt you?"

Sheng Hong closed his eyes, enjoying the soft jade and warm fragrance, and whispered, "It does not hurt; Shuang-er, I have made you worry; do not cry, it is only a few scratch marks."

"Hong-lang, the wound is on your body, but the pain is in Shuang-er's heart; let me blow on it, blow on it and it will not hurt anymore."

In the inner room, Sheng Changfeng and Seeing Mo Lan, who wanted to come out, were held back by Zhou Zhou Xueniang so they would not come out and spoil the atmosphere.

At this moment, Dongrong came to the doorway and whispered, "Master, the steward sent to Runzhou has returned."

Sheng Hong opened his eyes and said gently:

"Shuang-er, do not wait for me tonight; there will be much busyness this night."

"Mm~" Lin Lin Qinshuang replied softly, her eyes full of reluctance to part from Sheng Hong.

She helped Sheng Hong dress properly again and watched him leave.

After hearing the steward's report in the front hall, Sheng Hong went to Shou'an Hall.

Under the dim candlelight,

Sheng Hong, with his head bowed and body turned sideways, recounted the steward's report to the Old Lady and then kept his head lowered.

"Runzhou is farther from us than we are, so it is only right that they received the letter today. Your mother-in-law is correct; tomorrow, quickly send people to search along the riverbank, make this matter clear, and then both families can remain at peace."

"Yes, Mother."

"Aiyo, this old woman is tired; Master, please go rest first."

"Yes, Mother." Before leaving, Sheng Hong looked at his eldest daughter, who was still deep in thought, and felt a pang of pain in his heart; if this marriage fell through, they would have to wait until next year to find one in Bianjing.

Sighing, he hesitated for a moment outside the courtyard of Shou'an Hall but ultimately went to Weirui Pavilion.

After all, Sheng Hualan's aunt's family held some influence in Bianjing and might be able to help.

At Shou'an Hall,

The Old Lady rose and walked toward the inner bedchamber where she would rest.

Sheng Hualan rose and followed, saying as she walked, "Grandmother, let me attend to you as you settle for the night."

Mama Fang and Mama Cui exchanged a smile and also followed into the inner room.

The Old Lady sat on the bed and patted the spot beside her; Sheng Hualan sat down just as she had when she was a child.

The Old Lady opened her arms, Sheng Hualan nestled into them, and as the Old Lady held Sheng Hualan, her eyes slightly unfocused as she said to Sheng Hualan, "Hua-er, from this afternoon until dusk, what have you been thinking about?"

Sheng Hualan moved her head slightly, causing the light-colored pearl hair ribbon on her head to sway along with it, and said, "Grandmother, your granddaughter feels uneasy in her heart; having rejected the Yuan family's marriage proposal and then immediately sought an alliance with the Hou Fu, your granddaughter is worried..."

The Old Lady nodded and said, "It is good that you can think to this level; then let Grandmother ask you, did the Yuan family commit the improper act first, or did our family refuse first?"

"Naturally, the Yuan family was first."

"Then, Hua-er, now that this matter has occurred and everyone in the entire Eastern Capital knows of it, how should their family proceed?"

"With such a scandal in the family, they ought naturally to notify our family and let our family decide how to handle it."

"Then, if our family had never known, and the Yuan family arrived in Yang Zhou and their matter became widely known, where would our family's face be?"

"It would certainly implicate the Sheng family, causing Father to be mocked by others, and our family's face would be completely lost."

"Hua-er, first, the Yuan family committed such a matter, which is devoid of propriety and filial piety; second, they did not notify our family yet still came to Yang Zhou, which is devoid of benevolence and righteousness; third, they gave no thought to the impact on our family's reputation, which is devoid of wisdom and trustworthiness; with such a family, must a daughter of our Sheng family necessarily marry into theirs? Are we not even allowed to have daughters of the Sheng family who do not worry about finding husbands? Nowhere is there such logic."

Looking at Sheng Hualan, the Old Lady said, "Even if your father is promoted and transferred to Bianjing and someone brings this up to make an issue of it, you just ask them this:"

Hearing the Old Lady's somewhat angry words, Sheng Hualan felt much brighter in her heart; gently smoothing the Old Lady's chest to calm her, she whispered:

"Grandmother... your granddaughter wants to sleep with you tonight."

Mama Fang knew the Old Lady slept poorly at night and was about to speak to dissuade her, but seeing the look in the Old Lady's eyes and her slight shake of the head, Mama Fang understood and held her tongue.

Mama Cui went out and said something to Sheng Hualan's maidservant.

Inside the room,

"Good, how many years has it been since Hua-er slept with Grandmother?"

"Grandmother, I do not remember..."

The grandmother and granddaughter chatted as Sheng Hualan helped the Old Lady arrange her hair and clothing.

Once the Old Lady had gotten onto the bed, Cui Chan also brought all of Sheng Hualan's belongings to Shou'an Hall.

The Old Lady watched as Sheng Hualan was attended to and changed into fresh clothes, then said, "Come, sleep on the inside."

"Grandmother, I will sleep on the outside."

"Mm, come inside, just like when you were little."

The grandmother and granddaughter lay upon the Old Lady's enormous bed; the old woman reclined against the headboard while Mama Fang tucked a pillow behind her back.

Sheng Hualan lay on the inner side, her head resting sideways on her own pillow; turning to look at her grandmother, she heard the Old Lady suddenly say, "Hua'er, shall Grandmother tell you about the Marquis Marquis Yongyi's Hou Fu in Bianjing?"

These words brought a look of surprise to the eyes of Mama Fang, who stood attending nearby.

"Grandmother~ why are you talking about this!"

"Oh, then Grandmother won't speak of it."

"Your granddaughter wants to hear."

"Little monkey~ let Grandmother think. The Marquis Marquis Yongyi's Hou Fu in Bianjing has a vast horse-running ground; when I was your age, I often rode horses within it. Beside that ground lies a pond where fish are kept."

Lying beside her grandmother and watching the nostalgic expression fill the old woman's eyes, Sheng Hualan felt the heavy, depressed mood that had weighed on her since afternoon vanish without a trace.

In her earlier childhood, Sheng Sheng Hualan had never once heard her grandmother mention the Xu family; naturally, she listened now with great enthusiasm, yet having expended her energy all afternoon, she began to feel weary, and after the old woman had spoken only a few sentences, Sheng Hualan's breathing gradually steadied.

Soon afterward, she actually began to snore.

The only daughter of the former Marquis Marquis Yongyi looked at Sheng Hualan with her eyes closed, and whatever thoughts arose in her mind brought a smile to her eyes.

"Sigh, thank you."

It was unclear to whom this word of thanks was directed.

Posting two chapters first.

Not feeling well today.

Depending on how I feel tonight, I should post about two chapters as well.

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(End of Chapter)