Moli went to the Cui’s first thing in the morning and didn’t return until the afternoon.
When she ca back, she reported to Anning.
At that ti, Anning was playing with a trinket that Xiao Yuan had just sent over.
The thing was really small, just placed on the table, made of wood and Liu Li.
The object was exquisitely crafted, a miniature pastoral landscape with wheat fields, water mills, mountains, and water, and most importantly, the water actually flowed, turning the water mill to bring up the river water.
Moli entered the room and saw this miniature landscape, she also smiled for a mont: "This thing is really ingenious, I wonder where your son-in-law gets all these clever ideas to actually make it by hand."
Anning then smiled: "The object is secondary; it’s the thought behind it that’s touching."
Moli looked at Anning in a good mood and then lowered her head to whisper, "Miss, it seems to that the young Master’s appearance is not good."
Anning then turned her attention from the landscape and asked Moli, "What happened?"
Moli organized her words and then lowered her voice even more: "I noticed that the young Master looks depleted; we didn’t know before, but during this trip to the Cui’s, I inquired a little news from so familiar sisters and found out that in the past half year, the Aunt and noble young lady have brought quite a few concubines for the young Master. Miss, you know the young Master’s temperant; he’s always been very tender and caring towards won..."
Moli didn’t continue, but Anning was very clear in her heart.
Anning knew what kind of person Cui Ji was – she appeared honest on the surface but was deceitful inside.
Initially, when Cui Siran was to marry, Cui Ji was reluctant, but Second Master Cui decided on the match for Cui Siran, and when the new bride ca into the house, Cui Ji disapproved, and the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law were often at odds.
It was certain that Cui Ji added won to Cui Siran’s chambers, and Cui Siran’s wife, fearing that those girls would captivate Cui Siran’s heart and mind, also insisted on turning her own dowry maids into concubines.
As a result, there were really quite a few concubines in Cui Siran’s room, with each one trying to seduce Cui Siran with all her wits, and added to the newlywed joys with his wife, it was not short of intimate pleasures. Over ti, even a robust man couldn’t withstand it, let alone Cui Siran, a scholar who was naturally of weak constitution.
On one hand, Cui Siran had to study hard, which greatly consud his Qi, while on the other hand he had to deal with his wife and concubines as if he were a candle burning at both ends, depleting his Qi even faster.
Anning sighed: "This is the Cui’s affair; let’s just discuss it in our own room, and once we leave, we must never ntion it again."
Moli nodded, "This servant understands."
She sat down and took a sip of water, "I don’t know what the Aunt is thinking, our ho doesn’t have that many concubines, and there are few people in the Old Master’s room. Yet when the Aunt went to the Cui’s, she picked up all of those crooked tricks."
Anning turned to look out of the window: "Such is the Cui family’s dostic customs. When Old Master Cui was alive, there were countless concubines in the house, and when it ca to Old Master Cui, any decent-looking one he managed to drag into his room to spoil. You might see Mr. Cui and our cousin looking impressive on the surface, but who knows what’s inside, these are the family’s inherited skills."
While saying this, Anning’s tone was quite mocking.
She was actually quite grateful now for Mr. Cui’s sche that caused her to fall into the water and break off the engagent; it saved her a lot of trouble.
Had it not been for Mr. Cui causing such a situation, she would have probably wanted to find a way to break off the engagent herself. Breaking off an engagent in ancient tis was not as easy as it is in modern tis; it would have probably taken quite a bit of effort.
The Cui’s were really not a good place to be; it was a nest of vicious competition.
At that mont, Anning actually felt sympathy for the Guan family’s daughter; who knew how many lifetis of bad luck she had to have ended up being chosen by Mr. Cui.
But this sentint was fleeting.
Anning straightened her clothes and stood up to go pay her respects to Mrs. Ji.
As she was heading over, Mr. Ji was in the main room, and Anning hurried over to greet them: "Mr. Ji, Madam, Anning here to see you."
Mr. Ji appeared to be in a good mood, stroking his beard: "Anning has co, please sit down. I was just talking about you with your mother, and here you are. Xiao Yuan ca looking for today, saying he wanted to buy a residence and wanted it to be close to our ho. I wanted to ask you what kind you like, so we can keep your preferences in mind when looking."
Anning blinked, "Young Master Xiao wants to buy a residence? But the residences in this area are not easy to co by."
Mr. Ji waved his hand: "Never mind that, just tell us what kind of house you would like?"
Anning pondered for a mont: "The residences in our area are expensive, and I really can’t say for certain, but I think it would be great if we could buy a residence with three courtyards. I’m not looking for anything particularly elegant, I just want sothing spacious."
Upon hearing Anning’s request, Mr. Ji laughed heartily.
Mrs. Ji also smiled: "What a coincidence that is."
Anning looked puzzled: "What’s going on?"
Mrs. Ji explained: "Your uncle has a colleague who is about to be assigned elsewhere, and his family has a three-courtyard residence not far from our ho. They are looking to sell it, but it’s not particularly delicately built, just very spacious. Your uncle had so reservations before, but since you’ve ntioned you want spaciousness, let him check it out and help you buy it first."
Anning nodded, then asked Mr. Ji: "Young Master Xiao just gave us so many betrothal gifts; does he still have money to buy a house? I... I’ve saved so money, could uncle possibly deliver it to him for ?"
Mr. Ji’s face, oh boy, it turned dark.
He glared at Anning.
Anning glared back at him, neither willing to back down from the other.
After a long ti, Mr. Ji finally gave in: "Fine, I always say that girls favor others over their own family. Isn’t that just what I said? You haven’t even married yet, and you’re already thinking about giving away your silver..."
Anning hurriedly explained: "The residence is for to live in as well. If he can’t afford it and buys sothing I don’t like, I’ll be uncomfortable living there my whole life. I’d rather contribute so money myself to buy sothing I like."
She whispered, head down: "Apart from buying a residence, I wouldn’t chip in money for anything else."
Mr. Ji was quite speechless.
Mrs. Ji just laughed: "Let it be, you and your uncle have the sa temper, no one should criticize the other."
She then consoled Anning: "Your uncle just can’t bear the thought of you getting married, nothing more. And you don’t need to worry about buying the residence. Even if the groom’s side is short on money, you still have your uncle and . Why would you need to use your savings? How much could a young girl like you save, anyway?"
Anning quickly thanked Mrs. Ji: "I knew auntie loves the most. Since uncle is willing to help, I won’t be polite then—uncle, after you buy the residence, could you have soone take care of it as well?"
Mr. Ji didn’t know whether to laugh or cry as he pointed at Anning: "You child, take an inch and you’ll want a mile."
Anning said, unabashedly smiling: "It’s because uncle and auntie spoil that I dare to be like this. Try changing to soone else, and I assure you I’d be perfectly well-behaved. Even in front of auntie, I’ve never acted this way."
Mrs. Ji then said to Mr. Ji: "Don’t you know our girl yet? She’s the epito of grace and composure in front of outsiders. She only acts spoiled with her own family."
Mr. Ji was ward by Anning’s persuasion: "Alright, when helping soone, you should help all the way. Once the residence is bought, I’ll have soone manage it for you."
Anning finished dinner at Mrs. Ji’s place that evening and left.
She mulled over things as she walked.
Anning was thinking about the court situation she had learned from Xiao Yuan a few days ago when they t.
Currently, there are many princes, and as they grow up, the struggle for power is becoming apparent.
The Crown Prince and the Eldest Prince are now fighting irreconcilably, and the princes below them have also taken sides, forming several factions, none willing to bow to the others.
Due to its family background and the previous generation’s reasons, the Ji Family is naturally part of the Crown Prince Faction.
The Cuis had an Aunt who had passed away but had served as the Crown Prince’s wet nurse, making the Cui family also part of the Crown Prince Faction. Moreover, Cui Da’s eldest daughter was selected to enter the palace, and though she joined the Imperial Concubine’s Chuxiu Palace, she was actually aiming for the Crown Prince.
Thus, the Ji Family and the Cui family were sowhat of an alliance, maintaining a very close connection, and even if the marriage between Anning and Mr. Cui did not happen, their relationship remained close.
It seed both families were determined to support the Crown Prince to the end.
Anning looked up at the sky, the Capital was dense with imperial aura, with the overpowering Dragon Energy, the current emperor had many more years to live, it seed. The fiercer the fight now, the worse the outco might be later on.
Anning was considering how to extricate the Ji Family from the situation, to avoid the potential downfall of being wiped out in the future.
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