The man sent back home by Liu Qiaoer was the clue that Cui Boxiao and his team found in their search for the Fushou Cream.
Not to mention that this matter is too serious, just talking about the harm, everyone knows how a dynasty was destroyed.
Cui Boxiao and Liu Qiaoer both felt that since they had discovered it, they had an obligation to stop it.
While the two of them were doing their business, the marquis's wife was at home worrying about Cui Boyiao's marriage.
There was no point in staying at home anxiously, so the nanny next to her suggested that she go out for a walk and take a look at other girls.
It happened that on this day the wife of the Minister of Rites was hosting a banquet, inviting several ladies from prominent families, and the Marquis's wife also attended.
Unexpectedly, she ran into Mrs. Hu, the imperial physician. Unlike usual, Mrs. Hu was very enthusiastic towards Mrs. Hou, and talked about this and that, eventually bringing up Cui Boxiao.
Mrs. Hou was naturally very happy to hear someone praising her son, and she also realized that Mrs. Hu's daughter might be interested in Cui Boyao.
After a sudden change of mind, he decided to invite all these ladies to his home and let his son choose one by himself.
As soon as the marquis's wife returned home, she asked the family to prepare a summer lotus-viewing banquet.
Everyone in the mansion was busy preparing for this banquet.
When Cui Boxiao was not at home, Liu Qiaoer and Linglong were transferred to the back garden to help clean up the duckweed on the lake.
Linglong was so angry that she felt choked up: "The Marquis's wife held a banquet and sent those of us who serve the prince far away. How can the prince be served by servants instead?"
Liu Qiao'er didn't care: "Madam is choosing a wife for the prince, so of course we maids can't mess things up. Madam Hou doesn't like us maids to be too close to the prince."
Liu Qiaoer could never forget the time when she was beaten and scolded by Aunt Zhang, who was beside the Madam, just after she came here.
It really hurts when the board hits my body.
Linglong was still unconvinced: "We will belong to the prince sooner or later, it's just after the prince's wife comes. We serve the prince, and even the prince's wife has to give us some face, but the marquis's wife..."
Liu Qiaoer pulled Linglong, and Aunt Zhang, who was beside the Marquis' wife, came over from a distance.
Nanny Zhang just disliked the two of them. Even though the prince was protecting them, she still disliked them and wanted to get her own people around the prince.
Seeing that the two of them were not working and were gossiping, she snorted and ordered, "Don't take advantage of the prince's favor and disobey the lady. If you don't clean up the duckweed today, you won't have dinner."
Liu Qiaoer rolled her eyes at her: "You are just taking advantage of the power of the tiger."
Just at this time, Cui Boxiao found some clues about the Fushou Cream and wanted Liu Qiaoer to go investigate with him, then he heard what Nanny Zhang said.
Cui Boxiao immediately became annoyed.
"All the servants in our house are dead, but the people in my house are using them. I will take them away today. The duckweed in the lake will be left there. This prince thinks it looks good."
As he said that, he came up and took Liu Qiaoer and Linglong away.
Aunt Zhang was so angry that she dared not utter a word.
When Nanny Zhang replied to the Marquis's wife, she was also stunned for a moment.
"That's right. The prince only has these two useful maids around him. Why do you always ask them to do things? Change someone else. Don't provoke the prince. If you provoke him, he won't attend the banquet. How can I choose a wife then?"
Nanny Zhang smiled and said, "Didn't you let the Empress choose the daughter of the Imperial Censor and the Imperial Academy Scholar?"
Madam Hou: "You have to choose one. You can't marry both of them."
So that's how it is. Nanny Zhang didn't say anything, she left the room and continued to have people tidy up the garden.
Cui Boxiao found the place where the Fu Shou paste was sold, led people to confiscate the stuff, went to the palace to meet the emperor, and told him that this kind of stuff should not be touched.
Then, a massive campaign to eradicate opium began throughout the capital.
Cui Boyao was busy outside, Liu Qiaoer was still at home, and the lotus viewing banquet was finally approaching.
Cui Boxiao was about to go out today, but was kept in the mansion by the marquis's wife.
"At the banquet today, no matter what, you have to choose between the two of them. If you don't choose, I will choose for you."
Seeing that the Marquis' wife was determined to do so, Cui Boxiao felt a little annoyed.
Liu Qiaoer gave him an idea: "If you really have no choice but to do it, why not just agree to it temporarily? Anyway, there is still a long time from engagement to marriage. When we return, we can just get married by ourselves."
Cui Boxiao thought about it and nodded in agreement.
"Then today I will help the original owner choose a suitable wife."
Liu Qiaoer raised her eyebrows: "Appropriate? What do you mean?"
Cui Boxiao said: "She is suitable to be the Crown Prince's Consort. It's not just about beauty, but also about ability. Otherwise, she can't support a marquisate."
Liu Qiaoer gave a thumbs up: "You are very thoughtful."
After the banquet started, all the prominent ladies in the capital came.
After Cui Boxiao's reputation changed, the women who admired him lined up from the Marquis's mansion to the gate of the capital city. The Marquis's wife was very satisfied to see this.
Unfortunately, the queen only chose two candidates, one was Hu Bingxue and the other was Su Qing.
These two women also came today.
It was impossible for Cui Boxiao to really play with them, so he just let Liu Qiaoer and Linglong secretly observe their behavior.
Just when Liu Qiaoer and Linglong agreed that Hu Bingxue, with her talent and beauty, was more suitable for Cui Boxiao.
There came a twist. The banquet was about to end when a servant from the Marquis's Mansion reported that someone from the Marquis's wife's family had arrived.
Madam Hou came from a prominent family in the south of the Yangtze River. Her father was an assistant minister of the Ministry of Personnel, but because of mourning, he returned to his hometown for three years. Then he mourned again and stayed in his hometown for another three years.
Three years passed, and in the fifth year, his father fell ill. The marquis had a brother, who was born to his stepmother, but was still his own flesh and blood.
The brother failed the imperial examination and was weak, so he became an idle person in his hometown. Unexpectedly, at the beginning of the year, this brother also died of illness.
The old father wrote to ask the marquis' wife to help take care of his brother's wife and niece, and try to find a good marriage for his niece in the capital.
It won’t be too late to get married when I return to the capital after my father’s mourning period is over.
I just didn’t expect that my sister-in-law and niece would come today.
The Marquis's wife hurried out to greet them. Her sister-in-law was also from a prominent family in the south of the Yangtze River. Although the girls she raised were not very generous, they were beautiful and lovable.
The marquis's wife arranged her cousin's courtyard behind Cui Boxiao's courtyard and her sister-in-law's courtyard next to it.
Then a funny scene happened.
In the hall of the Marquis's Mansion, Cui Boxiao was waiting for people according to etiquette. The ladies who had come to the banquet saw that it was getting late and left one after another.
Liu Qiaoer and Linglong sent them out on behalf of the prince, and gradually, only Hu Bingxue and Su Qing were left in the hall.
Cui Boxiao sat there carelessly, while Hu Bingxue and Su Qing were chatting awkwardly, which made Liu Qiaoer's ears hurt.
She finally understood that the two of them wanted to compete for Cui Boyiao.
Just then, the marquis's wife came in with her brothers, sisters and niece.
"Come, come, meet my disappointing son. He has a wild and rude temper. Don't make fun of him when you get along with him in the future."
Madam Hou then pulled Cui Boxiao up and said, "This is your uncle's daughter, your cousin, Xie Yiyi."
Cui Boxiao bowed politely to Xie Yiyi.
But he looked up and saw Xie Yiyi looking at Cui Boxiao without blinking: "This is my cousin from my aunt's family. I think I've seen him there."