Actually, those four people who went boating on the lake were not the only ones having an eventful day.
There was also the third branch of the Xie family.
Early that morning, Shen Tang, Xie Xiu's wife, saw Ruan Jiu and the other three leaving the mansion together. After asking the servants, she learned that Old Master Xie intended to let the two young couples cultivate their feelings.
So she quickly rushed back to their courtyard and told Xie Xiu about it.
"Hubby, it seems that the old master not only wants Ruan Jiu to marry into the eldest branch but also intends to let Xie Jingchu marry that young lady from the Su family," Shen Tang said.
Xie Xiu paused in his handiwork of pruning the flowers and plants.
Seeing that Xie Xiu didn't say a word, Shen Tang said anxiously, "You should think of a way!"
"What can I do?" Xie Xiu's eyes turned sinister, and not a trace of his usual gentle demeanor remained.
Xie Xiu was the son of Old Master Xie and a maid.
Everyone in Qinzhou City knew that Xie Chong and his wife, Lady Jiang Yi, had been childhood sweethearts and were deeply in love.
After they got married, there wasn't even a single chambermaid in the mansion for many years.
Unexpectedly, one day when Xie Chong was drunk, Xie Xiu's mother took the opportunity to climb into his bed.
When Xie Chong woke up the next day, he was so angry that he wanted to have her beaten to death on the spot.
Fortunately, Lady Jiang Yi was kind - hearted and spared her life, only sending her to a manor outside the city.
Unexpectedly, on that day, she became pregnant and later gave birth to Xie Xiu alone in the manor.
But not long after giving birth to him, his mother died of depression.
Lady Jiang felt sorry for the baby in swaddling clothes and, regardless of Old Master Xie's opposition, insisted on bringing him back to the mansion.
However, because of his mother, Xie Chong had always been extremely cold to him since childhood. Except during family banquets, he rarely saw Xie Chong.
When he was ten years old, Xie Chong directly told him that he could only stay in the mansion obediently for the rest of his life and would never get a share of the Xie family's business.
"Hubby, even if you don't do it for me, do it for Zhou'er. You should fight for something!" Shen Tang looked at Xie Xiu, full of disappointment.
At first, she thought that marrying into the Xie family would bring her a good life.
Unexpectedly, her husband only knew how to fiddle with these flowers and plants every day.
Although he carried the title of the third young master of the Xie family, he had no access to the family's business.
Xie Xiu squinted his eyes, with a complicated look on his face.
How could he not have fought?
Not long ago, he spent all the savings in their courtyard, and Shen Tang even sold her dowry that was supposed to be for Zhou'er's studies.
With great difficulty, they scraped together enough money to bribe the villagers in Xin'an Village.
He had planned to use this to disrupt the business of the cloth - making workshop. By the end of the year, when they couldn't supply enough brocade for the royal family, Old Master Xie would surely take back the business that Xie Jingchu was in charge of.
In addition, he arranged for someone to assassinate Xie Yanchuan. As long as Xie Yanchuan got injured while staying with Xie Jingchu, Xie Jing would surely blame Xie Jingchu.
At that time, with the intense infighting between the eldest and the fourth branches, he could take the opportunity to seize a part of the family's business from them.
What a perfect plan to kill two birds with one stone!
Unexpectedly, that boy Xie Yanchuan was so lucky and was saved by Ruan Jiu.
The problem of the cloth - making workshop was also smoothly resolved.
Now the third branch was in an increasingly difficult situation. Zhou'er was already eight years old, but they couldn't afford to hire a good tutor for him.
Why was it that although they were all Xie Chong's sons, Xie Jingchu was in charge of most of the Xie family's business, Xie Wen held an official position in the capital, and even the good - for - nothing Xie Jing had dozens of shops under his control.
But he could only live in hiding in the courtyard like a rat that couldn't see the light.
Thinking of this, he tightened his grip on the scissors in his hand.
"Don't worry, my lady. Everything of the Xie family will be mine."
As a withered branch fell, a hint of hatred flashed in his eyes.
Since Xie Chong regarded him as useless mud, he would completely stir up the muddy water of the Xie family.
"So what should we do now?" Shen Tang asked impatiently.
"Since Xie Jing wants Ruan Jiu to marry into the eldest branch so much, I'd like to see if he still wants that after something happens to Ruan Jiu."
Ruan Jiu, don't blame me.
Blame it on Xie Chong's intention to marry you to Xie Yanchuan.
-
Early the next morning, just as Ruan Jiu had finished getting ready and was about to go to the silk shop, she saw Shen Tang bringing Xie Yanzhou to the courtyard.
"Sister Ruan," Xie Yanzhou called sweetly as soon as he saw Ruan Jiu.
The little boy threw himself into her arms.
"Zhou'er has grown taller," Ruan Jiu said with a beaming smile, gently rubbing Xie Yanzhou's head.
"Sister Ruan has become even more beautiful," Xie Yanzhou looked up at Ruan Jiu, his eyes curving into crescents.
She had always liked Xie Yanzhou very much. He had been well - behaved and sensible since childhood.
He never looked down on her because of her background. Every time he saw her, his mouth was as sweet as honey.
"Zhou'er, don't be rude to Cousin Ruan," Shen Tang pretended to be angry.
Then she immediately called Xie Yanzhou back to her side.
"May I ask what brings Third Lady here today?" Ruan Jiu looked at Shen Tang and asked.
People from the third branch rarely came to Old Master Xie's courtyard on normal days.
"Cousin Ruan... I..." Shen Tang hesitated.
Seeing Shen Tang's embarrassed look, Ruan Jiu gave a charming smile and immediately said, "Third Lady, please feel free to speak."
Compared with the eldest branch, she had a closer relationship with the third branch.
After all, Xie Xiu was a calm and unassuming person. He was gentle and kind to everyone.
When she first entered the mansion and was beaten by the eldest lady, Xie Xiu was the only one who stood up for her.
Today, Shen Tang came here in person with Xie Yanzhou. She must have encountered some difficulties.
"Actually, it's not a big deal. It's just... just that Zhou'er wants to borrow some books from you to read."
Ruan Jiu had always known that Xie Xiu was out of favor in the mansion, and Old Master Xie never had the intention of letting Xie Xiu manage the shops.
But she didn't expect that the third branch's life was so difficult that they couldn't even afford books for Zhou'er.
Thinking carefully, Zhou'er was already at the age to enter the school. It seemed that she had to find an opportunity to talk to Old Master Xie. After all, Zhou'er was a child of the Xie family and should have a good tutor.
With Zhou'er's intelligence, if properly cultivated, he would surely achieve great things in the future.
"Zhou'er, you can come and borrow books whenever you want. Why be so polite?"
Then she took out a silver ingot from her bosom and stuffed it into Xie Yanzhou's hand.
"Zhou'er, go buy some candy."
"Thank you, Sister Ruan!"
Seeing this, Shen Tang quickly said, "No, quickly return it to Cousin Ruan."
Xie Yanzhou pouted. Although he was reluctant, he still held out the silver ingot in front of Ruan Jiu.
"Since Zhou'er calls me sister, I should act like a sister. Right, Zhou'er?"
Xie Yanzhou nodded repeatedly and looked up at Shen Tang with full expectation on his face.
Shen Tang smiled helplessly and gently tapped Xie Yanzhou's little head. "You naughty boy."
With Shen Tang's silent approval, Xie Yanzhou immediately carefully put the silver ingot into his bosom.
Ruan Jiu turned to Chuntao behind her and said, "Chuntao, lead Third Lady and Young Master Yanzhou to the study."
Shen Tang pulled Xie Yanzhou and thanked her repeatedly.
Then she turned around, with a terrifying look in her eyes, and her hatred was not hidden at all.
A street orphan. Why should she live a better life than Zhou'er?!