As He Xiang's voice faded, the other three people all looked in her direction in unison.
"I heard it from Da Ya. Nanny Lian invited her to a drinking party, and the little girl came back and shared some wedding candies with us," He Xiang explained.
"Yes, I ate that candy. It tasted good," Liu Yi slapped her thigh as she recalled.
"Keep an eye on Nanny Lian," Xie Fengran waved her hand. "Keep watching! By the way, Liu Yi, Da Ya is Uncle Feng's maid. You should take good care of her."
"Yes, I understand, miss!"
The mistress and her maids continued to watch. Before they could see much, Zhu Qing rushed in.
Seeing everyone there, she turned back and closed the door.
When He Xiang saw her coming, she offered a cup of tea. "Why did you close the door?"
Zhu Qing waved her hand and pushed the teacup back. "Dear He Xiang, I'll have it later!"
Seeing her like this, Xie Fengran put down what she was holding and asked curiously, "Why are you back?"
"Miss, my senior brother has a message for you."
"Hey, didn't your senior brother just leave?" Liu Yi looked up and said. Everyone turned to look at her.
Zhu Qing swallowed hard and said with some difficulty, "Miss, just now the old madam invited my senior brother to the Green Pine Courtyard to inquire about you."
She was a bit confused. Wasn't the old madam the eldest miss's grandmother?
The family head's order was also given by the old madam. If she wanted to know something, she could just ask the eldest miss directly. Why did she go to such great lengths to inquire about it from her senior brother?
Zhu Qing was simple - minded and didn't understand the complexities, but the other three maids knew exactly what was going on.
They all looked at Xie Fengran in unison.
Xie Fengran was stunned by their reaction. She waved her hand. "Why are you looking at me? Get back to work quickly."
None of the maids moved. Lan Fang put down the paper in her hand and said worriedly, "Miss, does the old madam not trust you?"
"Silly girl, if grandmother didn't trust me, she wouldn't have given me the family head's order."
"Then why did the old madam..."
Lan Fang didn't finish her sentence, but everyone in the room understood.
Xie Fengran sighed. She glanced at the maids and then looked back at the paper in her hand. She curled the corner of her mouth. "In grandmother's heart, the most important thing is the honor and reputation of the Xie family. The premise for grandmother to trust me is that I won't do anything to damage the Xie family. She may even sacrifice me one day to fulfill the interests of the Xie family. Do you understand now?"
The maids fell silent. Although they were a bit confused, they understood that the old madam might not approve of what the miss was doing, and the miss didn't want to do things according to the old madam's arrangements.
Lan Fang looked at the miss and then at the stunned maids. Her lips moved, and then she lowered her head again.
Xie Fengran glanced at her. Seeing that none of them were in the mood to work, she told them to go first.
"After dinner, Lan Fang will go with me to the Green Pine Courtyard to pay respects. Liu Yi, you will take the ledger to the accounting room tomorrow and make sure they reconcile the accounts as soon as possible."
"Yes."
The maids quietly retreated. Lan Fang stayed until the end. When she saw everyone had left, she turned back.
"Miss, I have something to say."
"Okay, go ahead."
Lan Fang looked up at Xie Fengran. There was a hint of worry in her eyes. "Miss, does the old madam still want to marry you to the Crown Prince?"
Xie Fengran thought Lan Fang would ask about Qin Junxing, but she didn't expect such a question. She asked curiously, "Why do you ask like this?"
"The old madam is worried about you mainly because of your marriage. With your talent and beauty, the old madam will never make a losing deal."
Hearing Lan Fang compare her marriage to a business deal, Xie Fengran burst out laughing. "You know, your analogy is quite accurate. But there's always a way out. There are still three years left. Don't worry!"
Three years. She hoped the three - year period in the Women's Academy wouldn't disappoint her!
Now, her little thoughts probably hadn't escaped her grandmother's eyes. But the fact that her grandmother and the queen let her go to the Women's Academy instead of forcing her to get married was probably because Qin Junxing was a difficult person to deal with.
Previously, she couldn't understand why, even though the Princess of the North had a million troops in the northern border, the emperor had to indulge Qin Junxing so much.
Now it seemed that besides fear, there might also be a sense of guilt.
Or perhaps the emperor and the Princess of the North had reached some kind of agreement on Qin Junxing's marriage!
But she understood that in the emperor's heart, the best marriage partner for Qin Junxing was definitely not her.
If Qin Junxing really wanted to marry her, it was likely that on the first day of the marriage negotiation, an imperial edict would be issued the next day to destroy the Marquis of Dingguo's mansion!
Xie Fengran curled the corner of her mouth. It seemed that the County Prince's plan wouldn't work!
...
Since the day Qin Junxing sent what he called hush money to the Marquis of Dingguo's mansion, he hadn't met Xie Fengran.
In a blink of an eye, it was the day of the interview for the Women's Academy.
When Emperor Dezong was alive, the interviewers for the Women's Academy were all great Confucian scholars of the time. It was a real test of the students' level.
But this time...
In the Imperial Study, several veteran court officials, the Crown Prince, the Second Prince, Qin Junxing, Sun Jiming, and several Hanlin scholars were all waiting for the emperor's instructions.
The emperor flipped through the memorial submitted by Scholar Sun. He pondered for a moment and asked, "Scholar Sun, do you have any candidates for the interviewers?"
Scholar Sun was in her thirties. She had a beautiful face, but because she always had a serious expression, it was hard to associate her with a beauty.
Her petite body was wrapped in a large official robe, showing no curves at all. Sometimes, even the emperor would ignore her gender.
Just like at this moment, the memorial she submitted was well - organized and to the point.
That was why the emperor asked for her opinion first.
Scholar Sun stepped forward. Her voice was calm as she said, "Your Majesty, I think we should follow the old rules, but it's still up to Your Majesty to decide!"
Following the old rules meant following the specifications when Emperor Dezong was alive?
The emperor frowned. Not to mention his intention of restarting the Women's Academy, but privately, he didn't want to raise the status of the Women's Academy!
The people below noticed the emperor's expression and immediately someone came out to object.
"Scholar Sun is wrong. If we follow the old rules, we would have to invite great Confucian scholars to come out. Not to mention whether any great Confucian scholars in the world would be willing to come out to watch a group of girls compete, but back then when the late emperor was alive, the first interviewer was the old marquis of the Marquis of Dingguo's mansion."
When this person was mentioned, everyone's expressions became a bit subtle.
The Crown Prince subconsciously glanced at the person beside him and happened to meet Qin Junxing's gaze.
Their eyes met and then quickly shifted away!
Scholar Sun looked at the person who stepped forward. She asked in a very good - tempered way, "Prime Minister Zhang, I said it's up to His Majesty to decide. When did you start making decisions on behalf of His Majesty?"
"... " Prime Minister Zhang got anxious. He quickly bowed to the emperor and pleaded for mercy. "Your Majesty, forgive me. I would never dare to make decisions on behalf of Your Majesty!"
The emperor glanced at him unhappily and then looked at Scholar Sun. "Scholar Sun, it's probably not easy to follow the old rules. You discuss and decide who is suitable for the interviewers."
As the emperor's voice faded, the people below began to whisper to each other in groups.
Prime Minister Zhang had stepped forward before, so it was not appropriate for him to go back now. He had to stand beside Scholar Sun and wait.
While the ministers were discussing, the Crown Prince and the others were there to learn. They just watched.
Qin Junxing watched Prime Minister Zhang's constantly changing expression. His eyes rolled, and then he suddenly took a few steps forward. He made sure he wouldn't disturb the ministers behind him but could still be heard by the emperor.
"Prime Minister Zhang, I heard that there will be a happy event in your mansion. I wonder if I'll have the honor to go and ask for a cup of wedding wine then?"
When Prime Minister Zhang saw Qin Junxing, he had a bad feeling. As soon as this sentence came out, his face immediately darkened. His voice was cold and hard. "Your Highness must have heard wrong. What happy event do I have?"
"Oh~ Now there are rumors in the streets that Prime Minister Zhang hasn't forgotten his old kindness and has insisted on betrothing his only daughter to the son of his wife's elder sister. It's a marriage that strengthens the family bond. Could it be a false rumor?" An expression of disbelief appeared on Qin Junxing's face. "Or does Prime Minister Zhang look down on his late wife's family?"
After saying that, without waiting for Prime Minister Zhang to answer, Qin Junxing bowed to the emperor. "Uncle, you don't know. Now the people in the capital are all saying that the prime minister hasn't forgotten his father - in - law and his wife's elder sister who have always supported him. In order to repay the kindness, he has even betrothed his only daughter to his wife's nephew. Now when people in the capital mention Prime Minister Zhang, they all praise him. They all say that it's because you set a good example. As a prime minister who is an important official of the emperor, he would act like this!"
This compliment was just right, so right that Prime Minister Zhang couldn't even say a word of objection!
He could only listen to the emperor ask him, "My dear minister, is there such a thing?"
Prime Minister Zhang opened his mouth, but he couldn't say a single word of defense!
Could he say that there was no such thing? That he didn't want to marry his daughter to that good - for - nothing nephew with a mediocre family background at all?
He couldn't!
The emperor knew very well about his background. If he really defended himself, wouldn't it be telling others that he was ungrateful and that it was the emperor's fault for not setting a good example?
Especially at this sensitive time.
Prime Minister Zhang forced a smile on his face. He gritted his teeth and replied, "Your Majesty, there is such a thing. My daughter and her cousin grew up together. I didn't have the heart to go against my daughter's will. I..."
"Ah, Uncle, I thought it was just a rumor. I didn't expect it to be true. Prime Minister Zhang really has a broad mind. He is worthy of being the prime minister promoted by you. He has your kind and righteous demeanor!"
Qin Junxing's words almost made Prime Minister Zhang angry to death. He was the one who said it was true, and he was also the one who said it was a rumor!
He had said everything. He had got all the good things and had also made the emperor happy, but the consequences had to be borne by him!
Seeing that Prime Minister Zhang had said so, the emperor said a few words of congratulations.
As for the matter that Prime Minister Zhang had come to ask for an imperial edict to grant the marriage before, no one mentioned it!
Sun Jiming was the first to react. He stepped forward and walked to Qin Junxing's side. He bowed to Prime Minister Zhang. "I congratulate Prime Minister Zhang on getting a good son - in - law."
One stab, leaving Prime Minister Zhang speechless.
The Crown Prince also offered his congratulations. "It's easy to share joys, but difficult to share sorrows. Prime Minister Zhang is really worthy of being the leader of all the officials. This is a blessing for Father!"
Two stabs. Prime Minister Zhang forced a bitter smile.
The Second Prince thought it was interesting and came to join in the fun. "I heard that Miss Zhang is both talented and beautiful. I think Prime Minister Zhang's nephew must also be as handsome as Pan An and full of charm. I congratulate Prime Minister Zhang here!"
Three stabs! Thinking of the behavior of his wife's nephew, Prime Minister Zhang felt a mouthful of old blood stuck in his throat. He felt dizzy and fell straight backward!
"Prime Minister Zhang!"
"My lord!"
The emperor also stood up and ordered, "Call the imperial doctor!"
In the midst of the hustle and bustle, only a cold voice was heard. "Ah, Prime Minister Zhang is too happy. It seems that he is very satisfied with this marriage!"