"Your Majesty, of the Xiao family, only the third young lady has been betrothed. The eldest and second young ladies are still unmarried. Duke Chen's daughter, Miss Pei, is also unmarried, as is General Bai's daughter, Bai Yanran. Old Prince Zhao's daughter, Princess Yongrong, is noble and gentle, and is also of marriageable age."
"These young ladies are all exceptionally beautiful, yet my sons are all too proud. Especially the Fourth, listen to what he says: 'She must be prettier than me and able to defeat me!' I think he simply doesn't want to marry and wants a capable subordinate instead."
"Your Majesty, didn't Prince Qin say he would marry a consort this year? So many years have passed, this one year won't make a difference. When Prince Qin finds another excuse not to marry, Your Majesty can openly arrange a marriage for him."
"I heard he is quite close to Xiao Man." the old emperor said slowly. Xiao Man was known for her wild nature in the imperial capital, and Prince Qin was known for his cold disposition. Could these two get along?
"I've heard that Prince Qin and the eldest Miss Xiao are like fire and water, always disliking each other when they meet." Hu Wan said with a chuckle. "This old servant has heard that the eldest Miss Xiao is quite close to Minister Wen."
"Wen Mohan?" the old emperor inquired.
"Yes, it's Minister Wen. I heard he even took a blade for the eldest Miss Xiao."
The old emperor's expression remained unchanged, but a hint of an unreadable light flashed in his eyes. Emperors were most wary of powerful ministers and esteemed officials colluding. Minister Wen was an esteemed official, and Xiao Zhen was a powerful minister. If these two families were to be allied through marriage, one of them would inevitably have to step down.
Xiao Zhen was his trusted general, and Minister Wen was a pillar of the court. The Wen Mohan, nurtured by him, was exceptional in both writing and knowledge. He would regret losing either of them.
"Normally, isn't it the Thirteenth who always plays with Xiao Man?" The old emperor suddenly recalled. Nangong Yi and Xiao Man together were like two little tyrants, and they always brought Xue Kun's son along. They caused trouble with cockfighting and hunting, and their mischief was endless.
"Your Majesty, Prince Qi's secondary consort has been arranged to be the Xiao family's second young lady, Xiao Ling."
"That boy always messes around with Xiao Man, yet he ends up betrothed to Xiao Man's sister. I don't know what he's thinking."
Hu Wan merely chuckled and did not answer. Who knew what the Thirteenth Prince was thinking? After all, that prince acted on impulse, and like Xiao Man, he loved beauties. Xiao Man's sister was indeed a stunning beauty, so it was only natural that he would like her.
Xiao Man suddenly looked back in the direction behind her. For some reason, she felt as if someone was watching her, but when she looked, she saw nothing.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing. For some reason, I just feel a chill down my spine."
Upon hearing this, Chu Qingge immediately asked a maid to fetch a cloak for Xiao Man. "Although spring has arrived, the weather is still cold. You are like a frail beauty now, you must not fall ill again."
Xiao Man obediently put on the cloak. The maids entered in an orderly fashion, bringing hot tea and fruits. Since the General's mansion had no mistress, Xiao Man and Chu Qingge sat at the head of the table to host the ladies from various households.
"Eldest Miss Xiao, now that Young General Xiao is married and your third young lady is betrothed, has your elder sister found a match?" someone with a penchant for gossip asked.
Xiao Man listened, her smile gentle, her voice soft. "Thank you, Madam, for your concern. Marriage is a matter of parental decree and a matchmaker's word. I will abide by my father's arrangements."
"A general, a man, how would he know about these things? Has the eldest young lady found someone she fancies? Perhaps we can help arrange it?"
Xiao Man's smile remained, but her expression turned cold. To openly ask her in front of everyone if she had someone in mind was a dilemma. If she said no, they would undoubtedly press further. If she said yes, it would imply that the General's eldest young lady was shameless and infatuated with men, a deliberate attempt to put her on the spot.
"Madam Wang, this is a family matter of the General's mansion. It is not for outsiders to interfere," Madam Chu immediately interjected. She had watched Xiao Man grow up and would not allow anyone to bully her.
"Yes, Madam Wang. The eldest young lady is a noble lady. Although she has practiced martial arts since childhood, she is still well-mannered. How would she know about such things? Could it be that Madam Wang's daughter already has someone she fancies?" Madam Xue, being straightforward, never spoke indirectly.
Madam Wang's face soured as she was cornered. "I was just asking, out of concern for the eldest young lady. After all, the eldest young lady's reputation... is well-known."
"What about the eldest young lady's reputation?" Madam Xue retorted, displeased. "The eldest young lady is exceptionally talented and righteous, earning the respect of the common people. She ranks first on the list of prominent women. Your daughter's reputation is good, but she is nowhere on the list."
"You..." Madam Wang was so angry she slammed the table, but when she met Xiao Man's gaze, she slowly sat back down. "That 'prominent women' list is just something outsiders play with; it's not a proper ranking."
"If she can't even make it onto an informal list, then her chances for a proper ranking are even slimmer." Madam Xue picked up an orange. It looked plump and attractive on the outside, but when peeled, the flesh was a bit dry. "Some people are like this orange, golden and beautiful on the outside, but rotten on the inside."
Madam Wang gritted her teeth and remained silent. The wives of these military officers were as uncivilized as the officers themselves. She wouldn't stoop to arguing with barbarians. She looked at Xiao Man, hoping she would say something. To her surprise, Xiao Man completely ignored her and even had someone send another plate of fruit to Madam Xue.
"This time last year, it was Miss Yan's family who was in charge. In just one year, the General's mansion has been turned upside down. Miss Yan was divorced, died of illness in the family temple, leaving only the third young lady in the mansion. How pitiful."
Xiao Ling's hand, gripping the chopsticks, tightened. She did not rush to speak. These people were here to stir up trouble today!
"Pitiful? Isn't she the secondary consort to Prince Qi?"
"With her status as a legitimate daughter of the General's mansion, she should have been a princess consort, yet she's only a secondary consort. Children without mothers are looked down upon." Madam Zhou said mockingly, secretly glancing at Xiao Man and Xiao Ling's expressions. Seeing Xiao Ling's pale face, she felt even happier. "Wouldn't you agree, eldest young lady?"
"I'm sorry, I didn't have a mother growing up, so I don't know what it's like to have one," Xiao Man said softly. "I've heard that Lord Zhou dotes on the concubines in his household, raising illegitimate daughters as legitimate ones to marry as principal wives, while treating legitimate daughters like maids to become concubines. It seems that whether one lives a good life or not has little to do with having a mother or not, wouldn't you say, Madam Zhou?"