"Eight or nine times out of ten, my darling, my grandmother's good days in her later years depend on you." Madam Lu pinched Li Qing's small face. "Your cousin has just gone to the Prince's Mansion, and there's no one else in the courtyard. You'll stay in the guest room with Grandma for the next few days to avoid any mistakes. You must listen carefully to Grandma. When you marry into the Duke's Mansion and secure your position as the Heir's wife, don't forget to find good husbands for your two younger sisters. Only when all three of you sisters are doing well can our Li family rise in prominence."
Although Li Qing was unwilling to let those two concubine-born daughters benefit, she couldn't refuse when her grandmother spoke.
"Don't worry, Grandma, I'll remember what you said," Li Qing said seriously.
"Good, good, you are truly Grandma's good granddaughter."
The front courtyard study.
Madam Qin looked worried. "Marquis, do you think what I said is feasible?"
Qi Tianming's brow was furrowed. "Zhenzhen was so brilliant at Mother's birthday banquet today, why would the Lu family dislike her?"
"She was indeed brilliant, but no matter how brilliant she is, it can't erase the past." Madam Qin said, "Think about it, you've used the excuse of them recuperating at the別苑 (bié yuàn - separate villa) to fool everyone. But can you fool them forever? There are so many people from Xinghua Village, both those who were friendly with them and those who were enemies. I won't hide it from you, someone came looking for them the other day, claiming to be an old acquaintance. I sent them away, but can you send away all the people from Xinghua Village?"
Qi Tianming was annoyed. If it was as Madam Qin said, then it truly couldn't be kept hidden.
"If you hadn't sent them to the estate back then, how would this have happened? Gu Sinian's reputation is terrible, and he's too close to Young Master Qian. If Zhenzhen marries him, wouldn't she be widowed? A living widow! She is my daughter, after all. Can I watch her walk into such a fire pit?" Qi Tianming said coldly.
"Why would she be a living widow? Don't you know the situation in the Duke's Mansion? The Duke has always wanted to give the Heir's position to the eldest young master, Gu Siya! Although the Emperor doesn't agree, if Gu Siya has offspring first, this matter won't be stopped. Although it's rare for a concubine-born son to be made Heir, it's not unheard of. Gu Sinian must marry and have children as soon as possible to keep his Heir position." At most, after having children, he would continue his debauchery, and that little slut would be left alone in the empty room, a widow for life.
Qi Tianming pondered in silence.
"Otherwise, why would the Duchess suddenly come to visit? She must be thinking of preserving Gu Sinian's Heir position! Secondly, if Zhenzhen marries him, and we provide a generous dowry to support her, her life won't be too difficult."
"Don't blame me for being selfish. Mingzhu is our legitimate daughter, raised in the palm of our hands. She is just like Mingzhu, shining brightly. Can you bear to marry her into the Duke's Mansion? Besides, our Mingzhu is talented and beautiful. Although Gu Sinian has a good appearance, he is a brute." Madam Qin said earnestly, "If the couple can't communicate well, will Mingzhu's life be bearable? Zhenzhen is different. She is lively and doesn't like poetry and songs. Perhaps she might even catch Gu Sinian's eye."
Thinking of Qi Mingzhu's usual demeanor, Qi Tianming felt a pang of reluctance. He couldn't bear to marry his daughter to Gu Sinian.
As for Qi Zhenzhen, he did dote on her when she was young, but there was that incident in between.
At that time, he had intended to keep the siblings in the mansion. The little girl glared at him as if he were an enemy, calling him a bad person and refusing to follow him.
The father-daughter relationship was probably lost around that time.
Although Gu Sinian had a preference for men, the Duke's Mansion held high status and power...
Qi Tianming did not agree immediately. "Let me think about it."
Madam Qin did not urge him. They had been married for many years, and she believed she understood Qi Tianming well. He was already wavering, but he was just struggling a little more to avoid regretting it later, so that when the time came, he could say he was forced into it.
"Then Marquis, you attend to your business. I'll return to the back courtyard." Madam Qin curtsied and withdrew from the study.
Madam Qin's wet nurse waited outside. Seeing Madam Qin emerge, she quickly stepped forward to support her. "What did the Marquis say?" Madam Qin asked in a low voice.
Madam Qin nodded slightly.
Longxiang Courtyard.
Qi Zhenzhen and Li Rou were drawing various Q-version characters and small animals on Xuan paper with specially made charcoal pencils, while Li Nuan was rubbing fine incense balls.
"I want to make these two," Qi Xuanxuan pointed to two cute big-headed little girls. "Sister Rou is so amazing. She draws them just like my two friends. When I make them into cloth dolls and give them to them, they'll be very happy."
"Add my eldest sister's incense balls, and they'll be even more unique," Li Rou said with a smile.
"Thank you, good sisters," Qi Xuanxuan said earnestly.
Gathering together to make cloth dolls was all for the gifts she would prepare when visiting others.
"We are all sisters, why be so polite?" Li Nuan said softly.
"Oh, what kind of sisterly affection drama are you putting on here?" Li Qing's somewhat sharp voice rang out, and then she entered the room, followed by Lian Bei, whose mouth was pouting. It looked like she hadn't been able to stop her just now.
"Sister Qing." Qi Zhenzhen, Qi Xuanxuan, and Li Rou all called out in unison.
Li Qing pouted and sat down on the couch. "What are these things? They look quite nice. Make more for me, so I can keep them to give away later."
"If Sister likes them, she can make them herself. We all made them ourselves!" Qi Xuanxuan said unhappily, puffing out her cheeks.
"My hands are delicate, how can I do such rough work? You庶女 (shù nǚ - concubine-born daughters) don't have so many scruples! Besides, what's wrong with helping me with some needlework? Your future marriages will depend on me." Li Qing acted as if they should feel honored to do needlework for her.
"Sister, you should be careful about what you say. This is the Marquis's mansion, not our Li family. You are an unmarried girl, yet you keep mentioning marriages. Aren't you afraid of being laughed at? What kind of girl is so eager to marry!" Li Nuan said with a stern face. Although she was a庶女, she was also the eldest sister. If Li Nuan didn't cherish her reputation like this, she and Rou'er would have to protect theirs.
"I should be careful?" Li Qing stood up abruptly. "Don't put on a big sister act for me. Don't forget that you are just a庶女. I am the legitimate daughter of the Li family, and my marriage will definitely be better than yours. At that time, do you dare say you won't need my help?"
Li Nuan's face turned pale with anger. "Even if I remain an old maid, I won't benefit from you."
"Do you know who I'm marrying?" Li Qing wished she could flaunt her engagement in front of them immediately and make them envious.
At this critical moment, she remembered Madam Lu's reminder. Although this matter was as good as settled, the Duke's Mansion had not yet sent a marriage proposal, so it was not good to be too ostentatious.
"I don't bother to argue with you. These worthless things, I wouldn't want them even if they were given to me for free." Li Nuan swept the things on the table to the ground and left haughtily.
Qi Xuanxuan's eyes turned red with anger. "How can there be such a person?"
Li Nuan and Li Rou apologized and coaxed her, finally managing to bring a smile back to the little girl's face.
Qi Zhenzhen, on the other hand, pondered if Madam Lu had found a good marriage for Li Qing.