The heir of the Duke's mansion, whom many noble ladies avoided, was seeking a marriage. His intended was the second daughter of the Marquis of Changping's household.
Many had seen Qi Zhenzhen at the Old Madam's birthday banquet. Her demeanor was proper, and she possessed a beautiful appearance. Her tea ceremony skills were highly praised, and many matriarchs were very interested in her. Before they could even learn more, the Duke's mansion had set their sights on her? Gu Sinian's reputation was so poor, what were the Marquis and that second daughter thinking? Were they simply attracted to the Duke's mansion's power and status?
In that case, the second daughter's character was truly questionable.
Suddenly, the Duke's mansion and the Marquis's mansion, Gu Sinian and Qi Zhenzhen, were all at the center of attention.
Jinghua Courtyard.
Madam Lu, full of anger, questioned Madam Xiao Qin, "Didn't you say the Heir would propose to our Qing'er? How did it become Qi Zhenzhen? You guaranteed it before with such certainty."
Madam Xiao Qin looked distressed, "I am very sorry about this matter, but I have no choice, Aunt. The Duke's mansion wants to marry a legitimate daughter from our household. Second Miss has won the favor of the Marquis and the Old Madam, and they insisted on registering her under my name, all for the sake of giving her the title of a legitimate daughter. Even Mingzhu is now behind her. I... alas! I have wronged you!"
So it was that little slut Qi Zhenzhen who had caused trouble. She knew that little slut was no easy character. She appeared to not fight for anything, but when she did, she was more formidable than anyone.
"Enough, don't cry. You have been wronged in this matter, and Grandmother will not stand by and watch." Madam Lu patted Li Qing's shoulder. "Niece-in-law, I have wronged you. You are magnanimous, don't hold it against me. I know you have also been wronged in this matter, and Aunt will seek justice for you."
Madam Xiao Qin made a show of wiping her eyes, "Thank you, Aunt."
Longxiang Courtyard.
Li Nuan looked worried, her brows furrowed slightly, as if she wanted to speak but hesitated.
"Sister Nuan, say whatever you want to say. What is there that we cannot discuss between us?" Qi Zhenzhen put down the charcoal pencil in her hand and asked softly.
"The servants in the mansion have been spreading news about your engagement these past few days. They all say that the Heir is not a good match. Great Aunt dotes on you so much. Go and ask Great Aunt to tell Uncle not to marry you to that Heir. A woman's life, marriage is no different from a second birth. If there is any mistake, her entire life will be ruined." Li Nuan gritted her teeth and revealed her thoughts.
Qi Zhenzhen cupped her chin with both hands, "Sister should know that matters of marriage are not for us to decide. Since Father has agreed to this marriage, then I cannot resist."
How could Li Nuan not know? But she still held onto a sliver of hope, hoping that the Old Madam and the Marquis would retract their decision.
Li Nuan's eyes turned red, "But must you be wronged like this? If that Heir treats you badly later, what will you do? I heard that the Duke's mansion is a family with even higher status than the Marquis's mansion. Will life there be easy?"
"All I can say is that I will try my best to live well." Qi Zhenzhen comforted Li Nuan, "You know, my disposition is different from those ladies from prominent families. I will not allow myself to be wronged. Although that Heir's reputation is notorious, it's all hearsay. It's hard to say what kind of person he truly is. Perhaps I'll be lucky, and he's not inherently bad?"
The more casually Qi Zhenzhen spoke, the more distressed Li Nuan felt, knowing that Qi Zhenzhen was trying to comfort her. If she were to lament her own misfortune in this situation, it would inadvertently put a lot of pressure on Zhenzhen.
"Yes, our Zhenzhen is a blessed girl. Heaven will not watch you suffer." Li Nuan tightly held Qi Zhenzhen's hand, "No matter where I am in the future, I will write to you. If you ever have anything you can't tell anyone, just tell me. We are sisters, and more so, close friends."
"Then Sister Nuan, don't find me bothersome." Qi Zhenzhen smiled.
The two sisters exchanged a look, their sisterly affection unspoken.
Madam Lu stormed towards Longxiang Courtyard, only to be blocked by Erxi at the entrance.
"Get out of the way. Don't you know who I am?" Madam Lu reprimanded with a cold expression. "I am the Old Madam's own sister-in-law, the matriarch of the Li family. How can a mere maid like you block me?"
"This is Longxiang Courtyard, the territory of our young lady. Without the young lady's permission, naturally, not just anyone can enter. It's precisely because you are the Old Madam's sister-in-law from her maternal family that you can even enter the courtyard, otherwise, you wouldn't even be able to get in," Erxi said expressionlessly.
Qi Zhenzhen and Li Nuan inside naturally heard Madam Lu's voice. Li Nuan became restless and stood up first, "Sister Zhenzhen, I'll go and see my grandmother."
Li Nuan sometimes admired her grandmother. She showed no awareness of being a guest in the Marquis's mansion, her behavior no different from when she was at the Li family's home, treating the Marquis's mansion entirely as her own. The Old Madam had said such things, but they were merely polite remarks. The Marquis's mansion belonged to the Qi family, not the Li family!
"Your granddaughter greets Grandmother. Is there such an urgent matter that made Grandmother lose her composure and forcefully barge into a young lady's courtyard in the Marquis's mansion?" Li Nuan wanted to remind Madam Lu of her identity and situation.
Madam Lu was currently enraged, her mind filled with the fact that Li Qing's excellent marriage prospects were lost due to Qi Zhenzhen's interference. Apart from this matter, Madam Lu had nothing else on her mind.
Li Nuan blocking her at this moment was akin to adding fuel to the fire.
"You ungrateful wretch! As a daughter of my Li family, you don't plan for the future of my Li family, yet you spend all day with a concubine's daughter!" Madam Lu shouted loudly. "What can a concubine's daughter give you?"
Li Nuan was furious. Her closeness with Qi Zhenzhen was purely due to their compatible personalities. She had never thought of gaining anything from Qi Zhenzhen.
"Does Grandmother think everyone has the same ideas as you? You think of finding wealth and status through the Marquis's mansion, and that's what granddaughter should think too? That would truly disappoint Grandmother. Granddaughter has never thought that way." Li Nuan's voice also rose slightly, losing its usual obedience.
"Very well, very well, you are noble, you are capable!" Madam Lu pointed at Li Nuan's nose. "Then in the future, you can point at me, but don't point at the Li family. Move aside, I have something to ask Qi Zhenzhen."
Qi Zhenzhen slowly walked out, gave Erxi a look, and Erxi stepped back, no longer blocking Madam Lu.
"Aunt-Grandmother, please come in." Qi Zhenzhen politely invited her into the room.
Madam Lu snorted coldly, "I know you put on airs now, so much so that you don't even put elders in your eyes. You haven't even married into the Duke's mansion yet, and you're already acting like the Heir's wife? If you really marry in, won't you be soaring to the heavens?"
The engagement between the two families was no longer a secret, so it was normal for Madam Lu to know. However, coming to her door to reprimand her with such sourness was a bit abnormal. Who she married, and where she married, seemed to have no direct relation to Madam Lu, right? Did she need to be so angry and come to her door?