Chapter 9

"Mother Zhou, our Ninth Miss is just a wild girl. I see that Auntie seems to be angry, so you must help me explain things to her."

When Mother Zhou was seeing Old Lady Hua and her party out, Old Lady Hua held onto Mother Zhou, continuously expressing her apologies.

Mother Zhou laughed: "You, you are too overthinking. She is just a young lady; how could it be worth the Old Madam getting angry?"

Old Lady Hua and the three sisters-in-law of the Yao family did not take these words to heart.

If Old Madam Zhou were truly not angry, it was already noon, so she should have at least kept them for a meal. Yet now, there wasn't even a single polite word.

While they were talking, the group arrived at the back door.

Mother Zhou smiled and pulled her hand away from Old Lady Hua's: "Alright, I will see you off to here." She paused, then said to Old Lady Hua.

"I know your family is very busy, but if you are free and think highly of our household, then bring a few more young ladies over to visit."

Old Lady Hua's expression changed, and she hurriedly apologized with a smile: "Mother Zhou, what are you saying? We have been hoping day and night to come and pay our respects to Auntie."

Mother Zhou smiled and nodded: "I know your intentions, but having intentions requires action, doesn't it?" Without waiting for Old Lady Hua to say anything, she waved her hand.

"Go slowly."

Seeing this, Old Lady Hua could only leave with her daughters-in-law and granddaughters.

Once they turned the corner and boarded the carriage waiting on the street, Old Lady Hua's face sank instantly, her eyes glaring at Hua Changxi as if spitting fire.

Old Lady Hua's gnashing, vicious appearance made everyone else in the carriage hold their breath.

Hua Changxi frowned, did not meet her gaze, and turned her head to the side.

Did she do something wrong?

She didn't think so.

If she had truly faced that Great-Sun Pozi's critical, merchandise-appraising gaze and bent down to crouch at her feet, she would have despised herself. Her dignity as a human being did not allow her to do so.

Throughout the journey, no one in the carriage dared to speak, and they returned to the Hua residence in silence.

As soon as they entered the house, Old Lady Hua exploded: "Yao family, lock Hua Ninth Miss in the side room for me. She is not allowed to eat for the next few days."

Hua Changxi broke free from her mother's grasp and loudly retorted: "On what grounds are you locking me up?"

Old Lady Hua became even angrier, pointing at Hua Changxi: "You still dare to ask? We were guests today, yet you offended the host. You truly have quite the ability."

"I tell you, if you ruin the Fifth Miss's matchmaking, just wait and see how I deal with you!"

Hua Changxi gave a sarcastic smile: "Sun Pozi, I advise you not to have too high expectations for the clan. I think this so-called matchmaking today is nine times out of ten not a good thing."

That Old Madam Zhou appeared to be examining their etiquette, but in reality, she was selecting—selecting the kind of young ladies who could humble themselves and please others.

Is this how one matches a proper young lady?

And it was several families being matched together.

Who would believe there is no trickery in this?

Seeing that she still dared to talk back, Old Lady Hua looked around, then walked to the eaves in three steps, picked up a broom, and threw it at Hua Changxi.

"Hua Ninth Miss, you have truly rebelled!"

Hua Changxi dodged it quickly.

"What is all this fussing about?"

Old Master Hua walked out of the main room with a dark face. The clan had suddenly approached the family, and he had no idea what was going on. He hadn't gone out today, waiting at home to learn the news early.

Who knew his old wife would be throwing a tantrum as soon as she returned.

"What are you all fussing about?"

Old Lady Hua quickly recounted what had happened at the Great Clan Elder's house today, pointing at Hua Changxi: "This girl must be disciplined."

As soon as Old Master Hua heard that Hua Changxi had offended the Great Clan Elder's house, his anger was immediately ignited. He looked at the Yao family, his tone sharp: "What, your mother-in-law can no longer order you around? Is this how you act as a daughter-in-law?"

Seeing the Old Master yelling at her mother, Hua Changxi immediately wanted to argue, but as soon as she opened her mouth, the Yao family covered it.

"I will take the Ninth Miss to the side room now."

As she spoke, she pulled Hua Changxi toward the side room without further ado.

Hua Changxi knew that if she didn't cooperate, the Old Master and Old Lady would definitely vent their anger on the Yao family, so she obediently entered the side room and watched as the Old Lady brought a lock to lock it.

"Sun Pozi, just wait and see. If someone offers favors for no reason, they are either treacherous or thieving. The clan suddenly matching the Fifth Sister definitely has no good intentions."

"You and Grandfather are desperately trying to curry favor with the clan, but the clan only treats you as pawns."

The anger in Old Lady Hua's chest had mostly been vented. Hearing Hua Changxi's words, she reacted indifferently: "What does a young lady like you know?"

"You read a few books and think you know everything. Pawns? I tell you, if the clan truly treats our family as pawns, that would still be our family's good fortune."

After finishing, she swung the keys and left.

Hua Changxi was furious, but she didn't dwell on it too much, knowing this was a matter of perspective. She turned and sat on the only meditation cushion in the room.

She was not at all unfamiliar with this side room; she couldn't even remember how many times she had been locked in here.

The Hua family had many people, and in the two-courtyard house, there weren't even enough rooms for everyone to have their own. Yet, this side room was kept empty specifically for punishing descendants with confinement.

Hua Changxi sat on the cushion, calmed her mood for a while, then closed her eyes and began to circulate the Bird Breathing and Exhalation Technique.

Under the eaves of the main house, the Second Aunt, Fourth Aunt, and Hua Wuniang, Hua Qiniang, Hua Twelfth Miss, and Hua Fourteenth Miss watched as Hua Changxi was locked into the side room.

Hua Twelfth Miss smiled: "Thank heavens, fortunately the Eldest Uncle wasn't home today, otherwise the Ninth Miss definitely wouldn't have been confined."

Second Aunt: "Even if your Eldest Uncle were here today, given that the Ninth Miss offended the Great Clan Elder's wife, this confinement was inevitable. You know better than anyone how much your grandfather values the clan."

Hua Qiniang was somewhat confused: "The Ninth Miss didn't do anything excessive."

Second Aunt glanced at the Fourth Aunt: "Today, the Great Clan Elder's wife was matching the young ladies of the clan. With the Ninth Miss's outburst, the Great Clan Elder's wife's impression of our family's young ladies definitely won't be good. She might even ruin your Fifth Sister's matchmaking."

The Fourth Aunt did not refute this.

As for the scene Hua Changxi caused at the Great Clan Elder's house, it was impossible for the Fourth Aunt and Hua Wuniang to say they had no resentment.

Seeing that her mother and sister's expressions were not good, Hua Qiniang did not dare to speak.

"Let's go, back to our rooms."

Watching the Fourth Aunt take Hua Wuniang, Hua Qiniang, and Hua Fourteenth Miss away, the Second Aunt felt a bit of schadenfreude.

Of the three daughters-in-law of the Hua family, the Fourth Sister-in-law usually preferred to stay with the Eldest Sister-in-law, isolating herself. Now that it was done, if the Ninth Miss truly ruined the Fifth Miss's marriage, let's see how they would continue to get along in the future.

In the main room, Old Master Hua kept puffing on his dry tobacco pipe, looking at Old Lady Hua with dissatisfaction: "How did you handle things? Going to the Great Clan Elder's house, how did you fail to keep an eye on the Ninth Miss?"

Old Lady Hua was unhappy: "Could I keep an eye on her? With the Ninth Miss's rebellious nature, she doesn't even listen to you, let alone me."

Old Master Hua's face darkened: "This time, that girl must be properly disciplined. Keep a close watch on the side room; do not allow anyone from the Eldest Branch to send food to the Ninth Miss."

As he spoke, Old Master Hua stood up and began to pace back and forth in the room.

"I must go to the Great Clan Elder's house and personally apologize to Auntie."

Old Lady Hua was somewhat hesitant: "I have already apologized; is it necessary for you to make the trip? I saw that Auntie quite likes the Fifth Miss; she should help with the matchmaking."

Old Master Hua shook his head: "The Fifth Miss's matter is secondary. What I worry about is the Eldest Son and the others."

"Don't look at how the three of them work in the yamen; their positions are too low. Now that the grandsons are all grown up, if they don't rely on the clan's support, what kind of good future can they find?"

"Our family is already distant from the clan; we cannot let a rift grow because of this matter."

Old Lady Hua: "Then when will you go? I can prepare some gifts of apology."

Old Master Hua looked at the sky: "Tomorrow."

At the Great Clan Elder's house.

The Great Clan Elder's eldest son, Hua Tai, was concerned about the matchmaking of the clan's young ladies today. As soon as he finished his shift in the afternoon, he went directly to Old Madam Zhou's room: "Mother, how did the matchmaking go today?"

It just so happened that Hua Tai's wife, Zhong Shi, was also there, and she immediately said: "Mother worked hard today; you were so tired you didn't even eat two bites of food at noon."

Old Madam Zhou waved her hand: "It wasn't that I was tired, I just had no appetite."

Hua Tai hurriedly said: "Mother, you must take good care of your health. I still have some medicinal herbs rewarded by the Count's mansion; I will have a maid send them to you later. Your health is what your son is most concerned about."

Seeing his eldest son so concerned about her, Old Madam Zhou was very pleased.

Zhong Shi smiled and served a cup of freshly brewed tea: "If you ask me, it's because Mother is too good to the clan members that you were angered by a young lady."

Hua Tai's expression changed instantly: "Who dared to anger my mother?"

Old Madam Zhou glanced indifferently at Zhong Shi and shook her head: "Just a young lady, how could she anger me?"

"It's just that seeing those young ladies today, watching them one by one as beautiful as flowers and budding, yet having to be sent off to be concubines, I just felt uncomfortable."

Upon hearing this, Hua Tai hurriedly stood up and bowed deeply to Old Madam Zhou: "I have caused Mother to worry for me."

Old Madam Zhou sighed: "Forget it. This sinful task of selecting young ladies from the clan to be concubines must be done by an old woman like me. In the future, if the clan members want to curse, let them curse this old woman."

Hua Tai and Zhong Shi exchanged glances and hurriedly said: "How is this sinful? Being selected by Mother to enter a noble household as a concubine is the good fortune of the clan's young ladies."

Old Madam Zhou remained silent.

Hua Tai tentatively asked: "Which family's young lady did Mother take a fancy to?"

Old Madam Zhou looked at her son: "What do you mean by 'I took a fancy to'? I am just selecting according to the standards you set."

"They must be healthy, their appearance must be good, and they must have a docile temperament, not prone to jealousy with the main wife. After selecting and selecting, there are only one or two suitable ones."

Seeing his son looking at her with burning eyes, Old Madam Zhou revealed the person she had chosen: "Hua Bin's Fifth Miss is the most suitable; she is old enough."

Upon hearing this, Hua Tai thought about Hua Bin's situation, knowing that Hua Bin had always been sensible, and immediately smiled: "Sure enough, once Mother takes action, there is nothing that cannot be accomplished."

Old Madam Zhou looked at her son: "They have given up a young lady, after all; don't be too stingy on your end."

Hua Tai smiled: "Mother, rest assured. With so many clan members watching, your son will not lose the big for the sake of the small and make the clan members feel cold-hearted. Doesn't Hua Bin have many grandsons? There are no young men nowadays who don't want to practice martial arts. I will give them a martial arts academy admission pass."

"Trading a young lady for a young man to enter the martial arts academy—they aren't losing out!"

Old Madam Zhou nodded: "Be polite in your attitude as well. That branch of Hua Bin's still has some backbone." Speaking of this, she couldn't help but think of that Hua Ninth Miss who dared to look her in the eye.

Old Madam Zhou suddenly smiled: "Speaking of which, those few young ladies from Hua Bin's family all have quite good appearances. Once they grow into their looks in two years, they will definitely be beauties of the first order."

Upon hearing this, Hua Tai smiled along: "To be able to catch Mother's eye, those young ladies are fortunate. Once they reach their hair-pinning age, Mother can help select suitable families for them."

Mother and son looked at each other and smiled in tacit agreement.