Chapter 316

Chapter 316: Reading People Male and female guests were seated separately. Cui Lingrong and Madam Zeng were meeting for the first time, so they weren't familiar with each other, and Concubine Lu didn't know how to make small talk, so their table was very quiet. After a while, it was Madam Zeng who spoke first, mentioning that her son and Xuan-ge were schoolmates. "The tutors at the academy all praise Xuan-ge for his excellent studies." "He's very diligent. Whether in scorching heat or heavy snowstorms, he never lets up." Cui Lingrong smiled and responded, and only then did the two gradually find things to talk about. When the banquet ended, the Zeng family took their leave. As Cui Lingrong was about to leave, she glanced at her cousin again and suddenly felt a bit awkward inside. Zhuang Qi had packed her bags and said she wanted to go stay with them for a few days. Zhuang Huaiming proactively offered to escort Cui Lingrong and the others. "It's getting late. I'll see you home." Otherwise, he wouldn't feel at ease. Even when escorting Cui Lingrong and Qi-jie'er, Zhuang Huaiming only sat outside the carriage. He and Cui Lingrong had both been raised under his mother's tutelage, so they were equally strict about propriety. By the time they arrived at the Cui residence, it was already dark. Zhuang Qi couldn't wait to go find Song Yu. She bowed to her father and hurried off. Zhuang Huaiming watched his daughter's retreating figure and sighed helplessly. "My official duties keep me busy, and your cousin-in-law's health is poor, so I've been rather indulgent with Qi-jie'er. She's not young anymore, and Concubine Lu's experience is limited. I can only entrust her to you." "Qi-jie'er is innocent and lively. As long as her nature is good, there's nothing to worry about." Cui Lingrong paused after speaking, then probed tentatively, "Today Concubine Lu mentioned that without a mistress of the household, everything is inconvenient. Soon it will be time to arrange marriages for Qi-jie'er and her brother. What are your thoughts, cousin?" "I..." Zhuang Huaiming lowered his head to look at his cousin. After a moment, he said he didn't know. "The rainy season is coming, and there's too much waiting for me. Besides, I'm about to turn forty. I truly don't have the energy to welcome a new bride." That, Cui Lingrong could understand. Zhuang Huaiming continued, "As for Qi-jie'er and her brother's matters, I'd ask you to help however you can. I don't associate with court officials, so I know nothing about what's happening in Bianjing." "Rest assured, cousin. My aunt raised me. Even if you hadn't asked, I would take care of Qi-jie'er and her brother." Cui Lingrong said it was getting late and urged her cousin to return quickly. Cui Lingrong went to her daughter's room and saw the two young girls chatting and laughing together. She entered and said, "Yu-jie, you're the older one. Qi-jie'er will be staying with us, so these days, you should tell her more about Bianjing." Song Yu understood her mother's meaning. After her mother left, she looked at Zhuang Qi. "You're about to have your Ji-pin ceremony soon. Has Cousin-Uncle thought about what kind of marriage he wants to arrange for you?" "My brother hasn't been settled yet, so it's not my turn." Speaking of her brother's marriage, Zhuang Qi sighed. "Yu-jie, why didn't you choose my brother?" Song Yu was stunned. Zhuang Qi continued, "There's no one else here. Won't you tell me?" Only the two of them were in the room—even Qiutang had been sent back to rest by Song Yu. Song Yu thought for a moment. "Your brother is too rigid. In the future, he'll devote himself entirely to his official career. Marrying someone like that, I think, would be too exhausting. I don't need my husband to be enfeoffed as a marquis or become a prime minister. I'd rather he treat me well." It took a while for Zhuang Qi to work through Song Yu's meaning. "So that's it. It's my brother's fault for being too rigid. His personality is exactly like my father's—even if he likes someone, he still adheres to propriety and doesn't show a single trace of it. You're right. Being with someone like my brother would definitely be dull." But Zhuang Qi still felt regretful. If Yu-jie had married her brother, their families would have become even closer. What a pity. Song Yu knew that Cousin-Uncle's son was a good person, but what Zhuang Qi said was also true—he was too rigid and dull. "By the way, did you know that Concubine Lu wants to play matchmaker between my father and your mother?" Zhuang Qi suddenly said. This time, Song Yu was truly stunned. She really hadn't known. Seeing Song Yu shake her head, Zhuang Qi looked around, then pulled Song Yu onto the bed to lie down. "I overheard this. No one else knows. Concubine Lu told my father that my brother and I are grown now, and the household needs a mistress who can manage things. And Aunt-Cousin just happened to have a Mutual Divorce. Our two families know each other well. If they could combine households, then after you marry out, my father and your mother could look after each other." Song Yu had truly never considered this. "Then did Cousin-Uncle agree?" Zhuang Qi shook her head and said she didn't know. "Actually, I think it would be quite nice. Aunt-Cousin is alone and has so much property. Didn't someone come to propose marriage to her just a few days ago?" Speaking of that, Song Yu got angry. "That wasn't a proper proposal. I don't know where he found the courage—some owner of a meat shop with no real family fortune came to propose. I'd never even seen this person before. He said he had five sons, and his grandsons are already as old as you and me!" If her mother wanted to remarry, Song Yu wouldn't object. But for someone like that to come knocking, it made her angry on her mother's behalf. If it were Cousin-Uncle... Song Yu thought about it. Cousin-Uncle was currently at the height of his glory, and he shared a youthful bond with her mother. She thought that might actually work. "Qi-jie'er, if your father remarries, won't you feel upset?" Song Yu asked. "If Father married a stranger, I'd definitely be uncomfortable. Besides, I'm already so grown—if a stepmother of seventeen or eighteen showed up, how would I get along with her? And who knows if she'd have good character—if she had her own children, she might treat my brother and me badly." Zhuang Qi had thought it over quite a bit. "But if it were Auntie, it'd be different. We already get along well, and Auntie is a good person—she definitely wouldn't mistreat my brother or me." So Zhuang Qi was in favor. She patted her cousin's arm. "Yu-jie, what do you think? Should we try to play matchmaker?" Song Yu hesitated a little. Her mother had said she didn't want to remarry, but once she herself was married off, her mother would be all alone... "What are you thinking about?" Zhuang Qi leaned in. "Let's just try—it's not like they have to end up together. If matchmaking doesn't work, we can give up then. Or do you mind Auntie remarrying?" "No, not at all." Song Yu had already agreed to her mother's Mutual Divorce—why would she stop her from remarrying? The two girls chatted until late into the night, and so they rose late the next morning. When they arrived at the main courtyard, both were yawning. Cui Lingrong didn't scold them. She said softly, "Yesterday was something new for you, so staying up a little late is fine. Starting today, I'm going to tell you about the people in Bianjing." She pointed at Qi-jie'er. "Especially you. Your father now holds an important post—once you reach Ji-pin, countless people will come to propose marriage. Setting aside your marriage prospects for now, you need to learn how to read people and discern their intentions." "Ah, I have to learn that too?" Zhuang Qi felt lazy just hearing it. Cui Lingrong smiled. "Of course you must. The skill of reading people applies not only to marriage but also to making friends and such. Otherwise, one day you might be deceived and not even realize you're taking the blame for someone else." Song Yu sat down as well. "My mother is right. Grand households have their complicated rules, and small households have all sorts of people too. If you know nothing, you'll be bullied wherever you go." Unless one was extremely lucky, with a husband and in-laws who cared about everything. But how many such families were there? Cui Lingrong took the two girls' hands and began with people around them. "That Zeng family—I've had people make inquiries. Master Zeng is a man who dares to speak frankly in remonstrance, and precisely because of that, he's been suppressed all these years without being able to accomplish much. His wife's natal family are landowners, and she's a kind person. They have a son about the same age as Qi-jie'er—they might propose a match with you." "You mean that dark-skinned boy from the Zeng family? No way! He's as black as a lump of coal—I won't marry him!" Zhuang Qi waved her hands repeatedly. Cui Lingrong laughed. "I only think the Zeng family has that intention. If you're unwilling, remember to give your father a heads-up. But being dark-skinned doesn't matter—what matters is character. Now, let's talk about the family relations of the Jiangyuan Marquis Mansion..." With Cui Lingrong as her teacher, within a few days Zhuang Qi had figured out the connections between many families. Cui Lingrong said that just listening wasn't enough—she had to go and experience it herself. So after Lou Wanxian sent over a visiting card, Cui Lingrong took Qi-jie'er out. Lou Wanxian's husband was valued by Prince Wu, who had bestowed a residence upon their family—today was the banquet for moving into the new house. The moment she saw Cui Lingrong, Lou Wanxian asked about Song Yu. Cui Lingrong said Yu-jie's marriage had been settled, then turned to introduce Qi-jie'er. Upon learning that Qi-jie'er was a daughter of the Zhuang family, many people hurried over to introduce themselves. Lou Wanxian smiled and whispered to Cui Lingrong, "You've brought a hot commodity out with you today." Cui Lingrong pressed her lips into a smile. Just as she was about to speak, an old woman passed before her, gaze sweeping over her with undisguised disgust.