Madam Hu imdiately knelt on the ground upon hearing that the Grand Dowager was willing to help and cried, "Thank you, Grand Dowager, I am truly grateful."
The Grand Dowager quickly had Nanny Wu help her up, saying, "Our families have been close for so many years, there’s no need for this!" After a pause, she continued, "I was also saddened by Suzhen’s passing. Suoqing is a well-mannered and gentle child. This ti, under no circumstances can she end up like Suzhen!"
Madam Hu half-sat on a chair and began to cry softly.
After Ziwei saw Madam Hu out, the Grand Dowager sighed deeply, "She’s also unfortunate; they all seem to be."
Nanny Wu supported the Grand Dowager and advised, "Please try to put your mind at ease..." She then pointed in the direction of the fourth household, "The Fourth Madam is here now. If she finds out, we don’t know if she’d mind."
The Grand Dowager’s gaze flickered at this and she sighed, "This matter should not be known to the Fourth Master... Go to the outer courtyard and pass a ssage. When the Second Master returns, have him co to see ."
As Madam Hu left, she asked Ziwei, "I heard Fourth Master has moved back. Is he still staying in his old quarters?"
Ziwei smiled and replied, "Yes, he’s still in the old quarters."
Hearing this, Madam Hu’s eyes flickered.
After Xiqiu returned to her room, Nanny Jin was there with her two sons and the two daughters of Zhu Sancheng, as well as the grandson of Zou Bochang, waiting in the courtyard.
"Madam," Nanny Jin pointed to a tall girl wearing a peach-red diagonal-collar jacket on the left and said, "This is Mrs. Zhu’s eldest daughter, she is thirteen this year, and her na is Baizhi." Then she pointed to a girl wearing a grass-green jacket beside her, "This is Lyuzhi, she is nine years old!"
Both girls were thin and dark; the older resembled Zhu Sancheng, while the younger had an oval face like Zhu Sancheng’s wife.
Xiqiu nodded and asked Baizhi, "At fourteen, are you betrothed?"
Baizhi blushed and lowered her head, not daring to look at Xiqiu, and said in a low voice, "No, Madam!"
Nanny Jin introduced her own two sons next, the older one was fourteen, tall and sturdy, nad Yiquan, and the younger was nine, with bright black eyes, seed clever, nad Erquan. Xiqiu liked the younger one imdiately and suddenly thought of Min. If Min were to open a school, he would need a page boy by his side. Soone too old would not play with him, and soone too young could not take care of him. The age of eight or nine was just perfect.
She kept this in mind and planned to discuss it with Fourth Master Xiao in the evening.
She then looked at Zou Bochang’s little grandson, around five or six years old, fair and chubby, his eyes fixated on the fruit platter on Xiqiu’s table. Xiqiu smiled and had Chunyan grab so preserved fruits and candied snacks for him, saying to Nanny Jin, "I have seen the people. I will let you know how to arrange them later. You may return now."
Nanny Jin nodded and led the children out the door.
The girl nad Baizhi kept looking back secretly at Xiqiu, with eyes full of wonder as she looked at the furnishings of the room.
"Fourth Master, today I saw so children from the attendants’ families."
Xiqiu handed a cup of tea to Fourth Master Xiao, sitting across from him with the table in between, "The children are of varying ages, but Nanny Jin has a nine-year-old son who seems good and quite clever." Xiqiu paused and added, "Min can’t always be looked after by maids alone. I want to add a page boy by his side. What do you think?"
In the inner courtyards, young masters by the age of five at the latest would have their wet nurses sent away to avoid the risk of them holding a position and forming a bond with the young master and teaching him wrong.
"I have thought of this as well." Fourth Master Xiao nodded, "You can make the decision on this matter."
Xiqiu smiled and said, "Then it’s settled. Tomorrow, I’ll have the child brought in, so you can also take a look?" Fourth Master Xiao rubbed his forehead and waved his hand, "No need. I trust your judgnt."
Xiqiu always handled matters steadily, and since she brought it up, she must have considered it carefully, so Fourth Master Xiao was reassured.
"Let give you a massage." Xiqiu moved over and placed her hands by his temples, "Is there sothing on your mind, Fourth Master?"
With her pressure just right, Fourth Master’s furrowed brows gradually relaxed, and he suddenly felt much more comfortable. He shifted his position, lying down with his head resting on Xiqiu’s lap, a relaxed smile at his lips. He said, "Chief Lei is taking office tomorrow, and there’s been quite an uproar in the court recently over this. Out of six cabinet ministers, three opposed it. The Emperor suppressed them and ordered the Capital Military Mansion to dispatch troops to escort Chief Lei to his post."
Fourth Master Xiao recounted the events in a calm tone, yet Xiqiu felt a tightness in her chest. It was rely about Tongzhou Port, yet it had sparked such a storm in court. If the Emperor intended to open all major ports within Great Zhou in the future, wouldn’t that an turmoil for the court?
She asked, "Wasn’t Chief Lei’s appointnt decided last year, and the appointnt letter already issued? Why did soone only now raise objections?"
This was illogical. If there were objections, they should have been raised at the ti of Chief Lei’s appointnt. Especially among the cabinet ministers, when the Emperor proposed it, at least half had to consent for it to proceed. Why were three suddenly opposing it now? Is this not too late?
Could they have been acting under the Emperor’s orders, playing both sides, so that those truly against it had no opportunity to speak?
She pondered this but felt sothing was still off. If that were the case, there would have been signs earlier, so why only at the last mont did this issue arise?
Fourth Master Xiao shifted and found a comfortable position, eyes closed, saying, "Political appointnts never go smoothly."
His words made Xiqiu pause, suddenly thinking of sothing, asking, "Do you an, Fourth Master, that soone in the court is stirring trouble behind the scenes, spreading rumors, which would explain the cabinet ministers’ stance?"
Fourth Master Xiao opened his eyes and looked at Xiqiu appreciatively, "Yes." After a pause, he continued, "If it was just about Tongzhou Port, it wouldn’t have been significant. But if the Emperor’s real intention is to lift the sea ban, they naturally have to co forward to oppose."
Xiqiu nodded in understanding and asked, "So, Fourth Master, what’s to be done? Should troops really be sent to escort Chief Lei?"
If it cos to that, this matter would indeed be irreparably damaged.
"Han Cheng’s sister, last year, beca engaged to Shen Ji’s younger brother!" Fourth Master Xiao remarked.
Looking at him, Xiqiu laughed and teased, "So now Lord Han is also related to the royal family!"
Fourth Master Xiao also smiled slightly...
While they discussed in their room, at the second house, the Second Madam was also sitting across from Xiao Yanyi, talking, "Marquis, regarding the appointnt of a teacher, Fourth Brother decided on Mr. Song, starting the school on the sixteenth of the new year. What do you think of Mr. Song, have you t him?"
Xiao Yanyi played with a piece of bright green jade in his hand, using a long diamond grinding head to ticulously polish it, and upon hearing the question, nodded, "I have t him. He is indeed as Fourth Brother says, a person of integrity and eloquence, with the air of a great scholar."
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