The fourth room didn't expect that they would actually take advantage of Jiang Huizhi's entry into the palace, so they all relaxed and waited to watch the fun.
However, Xin Ke was slow to move because he was carrying the furniture that the couple had saved over the years in Guanzhou, and it would take some time to arrive. Therefore, the excitement needs to slow down for a while before you can watch it.
But the battle for Jiang Yadan's stepwife position has become very lively in Beijing.
After Zhuang Man and Ou Qinglan returned home that day, according to Qiu Yilan's wishes, they each spread the word that they had heard news about Jiang Yadan's choice of stepwife from the 19th Young Madam of the Jiang family. As expected, they turned around and received numerous visitors.
After the two of them smiled and accepted the guests' gifts, they told An Zhenshang's specific situation very straightforwardly.
Now everyone who was interested in competing for the Jiangya Danyue family stopped trying. They sat down for a discussion and agreed that An Zhenshang should be eradicated first, and then everyone would use their own methods!
After Qiu Yilan received the news, she no longer took An Zhenshang to heart. The An family was not a famous family to begin with. Even if Jiang Yadan sent people to protect her for public use and private use, how could she withstand so many people? Join forces to plot
She felt that Miss An was dead.
So at the end of November, when Qiu Yilan went to Mrs. Tao to greet Mrs. Tao with An'er in her arms, she happened to catch up with Mrs. Tao asking Mama Hu to prepare a reward for An Zhenshang after she came in. She was very surprised: "Why is it still her?!"
"I'm just bringing you in as a concubine!" Even so, Mrs. Tao's face still looked ugly. She kissed An'er on the cheek and asked the wet nurse to take her to the inner room so as not to be disturbed by the conversation. Then she said calmly, " She is pregnant, and it is said that she is a twin... The An family gave generous gifts to the eldest son, and told your grandfather about it! Your grandfather said that it was okay to enter, but not for the main wife. This time, the wife was actually smart. I didn’t dare to bargain and just agreed!”
"You're still haggling over the price at this point. Isn't that asking for death?" Qiu Yilan complained in her mind and asked, "Have you already entered the house?" Concubines are in business, and entering the door is not an important matter. The table was busy with wine, but considering that An Zhenshang was pregnant and Mrs. Tao didn't like her, there was probably no need to serve the wine.
Sure enough, Mrs. Tao said coldly: "Tomorrow, I'll send a small sedan to carry her. Thinking of her having an heir in her belly, I'll give her some medicinal materials... As for the banquet, I won't have to decide on your brother's stepwife yet." , who will take care of this for her? Anyway, the An family has said that they are just looking for a future for the two children in her belly, and everything else is just a favor! "
Qiu Yilan pondered for a moment: "The grandson's daughter-in-law and the sixteenth sister-in-law..."
"You Bago have a lot of concubines in your backyard, and you have a lot of children. What's so strange? Don't worry about it!" Mrs. Tao said simply.
Qiu Yilan was impatient to pay attention to this An family, and nodded cheerfully after hearing this: "Listen to grandma!"
After another conversation with the old lady, the wet nurse came out and said that An'er was tired, so she got up and left, taking An'er back to the house to sleep.
After returning to his own yard, An'er was settled, and He Shuijin suddenly came to visit.
Qiu Yilan was a little surprised and invited her to serve tea in the small flower hall, and then asked curiously: "Why did the 14th sister-in-law come in person?" After the Gu family fell, he and Shuijin lay in bed for a few more days before "gradually" getting better - In the meantime, the He family had to take care of the huge Duke's mansion, and also had to deal with the Chi family who was applying eye medicine overtly and covertly. It was really exhausting!
Until recently, Mr. He didn't know whether he really couldn't bear it or just couldn't bear it. He fell ill and couldn't get up from the bed. Only then did He Shuijin stand up with a clear sense of justice and said that since his mother was not in good health, the family would not be able to bear it anymore. We can't leave it alone. My wife, although I'm not in good health, I can't lie down anymore. I'd better go out and do things...
For this reason, Duke Guo of Qin and Jiang Tianqi both praised her for being sensible and filial, and each received a reward.
Now that the end of the year is approaching, not to mention that the Duke's Mansion has been under the control of the He family for nearly a year, and all kinds of messes need to be adjusted with water and money. Even if she has been in charge of the house, she should not have much time this time.
Coming here in person was obviously on business.
Sure enough, He Shuijin took a sip of tea and said with a smile, "Aren't you being entrusted by someone?"
She was pressed for time now, and she was familiar with Qiu Yilan, so she didn't beat around the bush and said straightforwardly: "Doesn't Brother Bage want to remarry? Someone is looking for me!"
Qiu Yilan frowned: "Who?"
"Sixth sister-in-law!" He Shuijin said helplessly, "Her mother-in-law wanted to marry her to Prince Lu before, but didn't succeed? After that, she visited several of them and they were not very satisfied. Now she wants to marry her to Bage. . Otherwise, I am so busy now that I won’t pay attention to other people’s pleas!”
"Sixth sister-in-law's maiden sister?" Qiu Yilan asked after thinking for a moment, "Do you know, Sister-in-law Fourteen, about An's entry into the house?"
As the head of the Duke's palace, He Shuijin is naturally well-informed. He nodded when he heard the words: "Of course, she knows what's going on! If she is still dreaming about the position of the main wife, the two in her stomach will have no chance of landing!"
"Does Sixth Sister-in-law know?"
"So what if you know?" He Shuijin snorted, "So many people are plotting to betroth their daughters to Bage. What's the point? No one who cares will mention it!"
Qiu Yilan said: "Okay, but it's useless for you to tell me about this matter. Grandma is not very capable of making decisions on this matter, so how can I say anything?"
He Shuijin smiled and said, "Grandma can still speak. Otherwise, why couldn't An family become the main wife? Moreover, the Queen Mother can also speak." After a pause, he continued, "In fact, if you know that Grandma and the Queen Mother My Majesty’s thoughts, if Xiao Shi is not going to annoy these two, I would suggest you agree to it.”
Qiu Yilan asked in surprise: "Why?"
"Have you forgotten that before when the kings were choosing their concubines, none of Sixth Sister-in-law's maiden girls were selected, but your cousin Wang was about to arrive?" He Shuijin said, "After I saw Sixth Sister-in-law, I felt a little angry at you, thinking that you were relying on me. Jiu De Chong has spoken for your cousin, but since she didn’t say it, I can’t explain it to you, so if you follow their sisters’ grievances this time, you will have fewer enemies in the future!”
"That time Sister-in-law Eleven came over to tell me about Zhuang Man in person!" Qiu Yilan's face darkened, "If you want to doubt me about this matter, the one who should be most suspicious is Zhuang Man! But Man'er came here two days ago I'm playing here, but there's no barrier at all! Sister-in-law Six is having fun - let's not talk about whether her suspicion is right or not, so what if I really squeezed out her mother-in-law for Cousin Wang? I don't know her well. Not to mention her mother-in-law’s sister!”
Originally, Qiu Yilan was not a low-key person, so how could she fall for Shi's trick of venting his anger
So he snorted coldly and told He Shuijin, "There's no need to check on the Queen Mother and grandmother. I won't interfere in the Shi family's affairs! If they have the ability to put their daughter in the fourth room to be my sister-in-law, I admit it. They have no ability." Then let’s continue to find a suitable husband for their daughter!”
I am suspicious of you and want to do something for you to eliminate your suspicion and hostility? ! I owe you a lot!
Although he said that the Shi family had the ability to turn their young lady into Jiang Ba's step-wife, Qiu Yilan was thinking that it would be weird if I allowed this little Shi family to enter the fourth bedroom!
He Shuijin didn't force anything: "Then I'll tell Sister-in-Law Six that Grandma and the Queen Mother seem to have plans, so you can't interrupt."
"Just tell her clearly that I won't help her!" Qiu Yilan snorted.
He Shuijin smiled and said, "I'll be the one to say it anyway, so what do you care what I say?"
After she left, Qiu Yilan waved to Su Helai: "Go and find out if Ms. Shi really blamed me for her maiden's failure to become a princess?!"
She was still a little uneasy about He Shuijin.
Not long after Su He left, Chunran came in with a post: "The post from Miss Xin Biao said that Mrs. Wu Gu brought many specialties from Guanzhou, so she planned to hold a banquet to entertain my close friends. Please be sure to come. !”
"After all, it's different when your biological mother is here!" Qiu Yilan opened the post and said to her left and right, "Although there was an old lady in charge of the Xin family before, the old lady is old and can't go out often. It's different from our family. They are the in-laws, and there are many things that cannot be done or discussed. After all these years since cousin Xin was sent back to Beijing, it is not like the Xin family cannot afford the money for a banquet. This is the first time that they have to host a banquet at home. !”
Chun Ran smiled and said, "This is all thanks to you!"
As she spoke, Qiu Yilan had already read the post. The appointment was very close, just two days later. In fact, with Qiu Yilan's familiarity with her, there is no need for posts to communicate with her now, but this is probably the first time Xin Fubing has set up a post. It was a great pleasure to entertain friends at a banquet, and it was specially held in a formal manner.
After asking someone to put the post in a box and put it away, Qiu Yilan decided not to spoil her friend's interest, so she rummaged through the box and dressed it up with the same energy as attending the first grand ceremony banquet after her filial piety. She must show her love for Xin Fu Bingdi. The respect of being an official proprietor for once!
... On the day of the banquet, she rushed to the Xin Mansion dressed up grandly, thinking that even if the He Mansion was not decorated with lanterns and festoons, at least the backyard should be decorated with splendid embroidery and fragrant clothes everywhere, right
As a result, Zhuang Man and Xin Fuling, who arrived first, looked at her in astonishment: "Bousin, cousin, what are you doing?!"
Qiu Yilan, who was dressed in a formal dress and countless pearls, looked at the two of them angrily—these two guys were actually wearing regular clothes. Forget it, Xin Fubing, the owner, was wearing new clothes, and Zhuang Man's skirt was only 60 to 70% new!
This doesn't look like a formal banquet. A visit to a distant relative's house for a casual meal may not be so casual!
"Didn't you post it officially? I thought you were going to hold a serious banquet!" Qiu Yilan gritted her teeth, "It's just a casual banquet, so you should say something!"
"...But I just invited you, my cousin, Man'er and Ah Xing!" ?”
Qiu Yilan took her seat depressedly, looked around and saw that they were only prepared to entertain three guests, and complained: "Why are you just inviting three of us? We usually get together a lot, okay? There is no need to specially Next post? I thought you would invite all the cousins and others! Tete wore a dress and hairpin to support you!"
Xin Fubing smiled and hugged her shoulders from behind to apologize: "I didn't explain clearly! In fact, I wanted to send someone over to say it, but the apricot blossom notes my mother brought back from Guanzhou were so fragrant and beautiful that I couldn't help but It’s written! I feel like having fun alone is not as good as having fun with everyone, so I just wrote a post for you so that you can take a look!”
"What are you looking at?" Qiu Yilan said speechlessly, "I didn't pay attention at all. After reading it, I had someone put it in the box!" Now she has even forgotten the color of the invitation!
"If it were two or three years ago, I would really invite a lot of people here today!" Xin Longbing said seriously, plucking the beads on her hairpin, "But after these two years, I think inviting you four is enough, and the others It's just to dampen my mood! I want to be happy when I treat you, and I also hope that the guests who come will be happy. Do you think we can be happy when Mi Yinyin and others are here? So please don't blame me!"
Qiu Yilan's heart softened when she heard what she said: "Okay, I was the one who made the mistake. Do I really blame you?"
Zhuang Man had been watching with a smile before, but now he said: "It's so insincere to apologize like this. I have to do something for my cousin, right?"
Xin Fubing smiled and said: "This is natural, just ask my cousin!"
"If you didn't tell me, I would have almost forgotten it!" Qiu Yilan originally wanted to say no, but as she was about to speak, she suddenly remembered, "Earlier, the maid Nijin in front of the Queen Mother asked me something. That was last year, and I ended up I haven’t been able to do anything until now.”
"What is it?" Xin Fubing said hurriedly, "I didn't dare to guarantee it for you before, but now that my mother is back, it is more convenient for her to talk to the Queen Mother than for us juniors!"