The noble concubine sneered, "Old Madam, do you mean that I can't persuade the Empress Dowager to issue an order? Now that the Queen has issued an order, it is only a matter of time before she adds an imperial decree to confirm it."
The old lady smiled awkwardly, "Your Majesty, you misunderstood. I didn't mean that. I am just anxious. Wan'er is getting old. Although the Queen has issued an order, the Queen Mother has not expressed her opinion. There is no way to confirm the wedding date. There is only an engagement but no wedding date. This makes me anxious."
The noble concubine said, "Okay, I promise you that the day the news spreads, the day the Empress Dowager will issue her decree."
The old lady said, "Okay, in that case, I will wait for news from your concubine."
After saying this, he stood up, bowed and left.
After leaving Juxian Tower, Aunt Cuiyu asked, "Old Madam, do you think what the noble concubine said is credible?"
The old lady thought for a moment, "Whether it is credible or not, we must act quickly on this matter. Where did the Prime Minister go today? Tell me as soon as he comes back."
"Yes!" said Aunt Cuiyu.
The old lady instructed again: "By the way, tell Lan Yu not to mess with the people in Xiazhi Garden these days, so as not to alert the enemy."
Aunt Cuiyu was startled, "This..."
The old lady looked at her suddenly, "What's wrong?"
Aunt Cuiyu lowered her voice and said, "Madam, Lanyu said today that she wanted to teach the eldest lady a lesson."
"What lesson?" The old lady was furious. "I have already said that no one is allowed to touch Xiazhi Garden without my permission."
Cui Yu couldn't help but defend her, "Please calm down, old lady. Lan Yu just wanted to help you vent your anger."
"It's ridiculous," the old lady walked out quickly. "Tell me, what did she do?"
"She didn't attack the young lady directly, but sent Guiyuan and Xiaosun out to teach them a lesson." Cuiyu chased after her, "Lanyu knew her limits. She deliberately sent people out before she attacked, so that even if the young lady suspected something, she wouldn't be able to find evidence."
The old lady was still very angry. After getting on the carriage, she warned Cuiyu, "From now on, no one is allowed to provoke Xiazhi Garden without my order, lest they ruin my good deeds."
"Yes, I know, and I will tell Lan Yu too." Aunt Cui Yu wiped the sweat from her forehead. In fact, she had advised Lan Yu before, but Lan Yu said that she couldn't swallow this. Since Xia Zian was so protective of the servants and that Gui Yuan, it made her feel uncomfortable.
However, Cuiyu felt that the eldest lady would not really get angry for the servants. After all, if the servants were gone, they could be replaced. She saved Guiyuan that day just to show her great benevolence in front of everyone.
It was already evening when Zi'an returned home.
Chen Liuliu did not return home, but went to the prime minister's residence with Zhuangzhuang and Zi'an.
Zi'an smiled and said, "You two are not doing your job properly. You always follow me around. Don't you have anything else to do?"
Zhuangzhuang shrugged, "What can I do? Old Seven told me to keep an eye on the Xiangfu when I'm free, and I really have a lot of free time, so what can I do if I don't come to the Xiangfu to keep an eye on it?"
Liu Liu said, "The Xiangfu is so lively, there are always operas, it's so fun."
Zi'an laughed, "You are really hoping that something bad will happen to me. All the drama in the Prime Minister's Mansion revolves around me. Whenever something bad happens, it's not a good thing."
"But all bad things turn into good things in the end. Look at you. You were just a poor little thing that no one loved or spoiled. After being tempered by the Prime Minister's Mansion, you have been reborn and become a different person."
Zi'an said, "If you put it that way, shouldn't I be grateful to the Prime Minister?"
The three of them went in chatting and laughing. Although Zi'an said this, he really felt that his situation had become much better than when he first arrived.
At least, she had friends now. In modern times, she never thought she would have friends in her life.
When they returned to Xiazhi Garden, they didn't see Xiaosun and Guiyuan coming to greet them. Zi'an called out, and then saw Boss Dao coming over from the study, "The young lady is back?"
Zi'an put down the medicine box, "Yes, where is Xiaosun? Ask her to make tea for the princess and Miss Chen."
"Xiaosun and Guiyuan went out and haven't come back yet." said Boss Dao.
"Going out? Where did you go?" Zi'an sat down and touched the sweat on his face. Although it was already evening, the sun outside was still very strong and very hot.
"He said he went out to do some work. Aunt Lan Yu asked him to do so." said Boss Dao.
Zi'an stood up suddenly, "Lan Yu ordered them to do something? There is no one in the mansion? Why did he order them to go?"
"I don't know. I didn't see him. Xiaosun came back and told me that he took Guiyuan with him." Boss Dao saw Zi'an's expression change slightly and became a little worried. "He's been out for two hours and hasn't come back yet. Did something happen?"
Zhuangzhuang said: "Don't worry about it for now. Taking someone down to vent your anger is not the old lady's style. People like her will only target you directly."
Zi'an shook his head, "I'm not worried about the Madam, I'm only worried about those servants acting on their own."
The old lady would not play such petty tricks. It would be beneath her dignity to embarrass a servant.
But Lan Yu is a narrow-minded person, and I have beaten her before. I wonder if she will take advantage of my absence to take revenge on me.
Murong Zhuangzhuang said: "If you are worried, I will send someone to look for it."
Zi'an said, "Okay, thank you, Princess."
Zi'an knew that Zhuangzhuang was being followed secretly by someone, so he asked them to go back and get people to look for him. This would be much more effective than her just looking blindly.
The search lasted until the evening, but there was no news.
Zi'an finally couldn't hold back any longer and said to Dao Lao Da, "Go to the old lady and ask Aunt Lan Yu to come over."
Nanny Yang said, "I'm afraid we won't be able to invite you."
A cold light flashed in Zian's eyes, "No matter what method you use, please come over."
After receiving Zi'an's order, Boss Dao went there immediately.
Zhuangzhuang comforted him, "Don't worry yet. With so many people looking for him, there should be news soon."
Zhuangzhuang and Liuliu both felt that something might not have happened. Perhaps they were really asked to do the job. After all, at this juncture, there was really no need for the old lady to provoke Zi'an, because the fire had just been over not long ago. Although the Ministry of Justice had closed the case, its eyes were still on the Prime Minister's Mansion.
Especially now that Zi'an is still competing with the Prime Minister's Mansion for the land of the back garden, the old lady knows very well that it will not do her any good to anger Zi'an at this time.
However, Murong Zhuangzhuang was actually worried in his heart that the two aunts around the old lady had been very favored in the prime minister's residence in recent years. Perhaps they might really do something to hurt Guiyuan and Xiaosun without telling the old lady.
She and Chen Liuliu looked at each other. Chen Liuliu's heart was actually very soft. She had spent a lot of time with Xiaosun during this period. She couldn't say whether she had feelings for her or not, but she liked Xiaosun very much and didn't want anything to happen to her.
Neither Yuan Cuiyu nor Zi'an were so optimistic, especially Yuan Cuiyu. Seeing Zi'an worried, she felt even more sad. She had not been able to read since she became blind. Now that her eyesight was better, she could barely see the words. She plunged into the study today and had no idea that such a big thing had happened in Xiazhiyuan.
Boss Dao went to the old lady's room, where Aunt Lan Yu was serving her meal.
(End of this chapter)