Chapter 64 Engagement
64 Engagement
The evening breeze blew against the door of the west storeroom.
The rough creaking sound of the door was extremely piercing in the quiet night.
Madam Gu, who was outside the west storeroom, did not leave. Her face was tense as she stared fixedly at the swinging door of the storeroom, unable to calm down for a long time.
Apart from feeling surprised, angry, and frustrated, she also had a headache.
If the British d.u.c.h.ess agreed to her conditions today and she could not take out the jade pendant, would the British Monarchy think that she was deliberately playing with them?!
Just thinking about it made Madam Gu feel suffocated, as if something had been stuffed into her chest.
However, she had no choice but to coax Gu Yanfei.
Over the years, Madam Gu had been used to being the head of the Gu family. This feeling of being out of control made her very uncomfortable, and her expression darkened.
“Back to Benevolent Harmony Hall.”
She spat out the words coldly and sat on the palanquin to be carried back to the Benevolent Harmony Hall. Along the way, she was silent and uneasy.
That night, Madam Gu tossed and turned in bed, almost unable to sleep the entire night.
For the next three days, she was in a bad mood and kept sending people to keep an eye on Gu Yanfei.
She watched helplessly as Gu Yanfei spent a day tidying up everything in the west storeroom and built a small kitchen in the Yuheng Garden. She even ignored the steward in the residence and found someone outside to repair the Yuheng Garden. A small door in the backyard that connected to the racecourse northeast of the Marquis Mansion was built soon after.
All her actions were challenging Madam Gu’s patience, but she had no choice but to endure it.
The people in the Marquis Mansion were used to reading the situation. Seeing that Gu Yanfei was acting ostentatiously now, they only thought that she had received Madam Gu’s favor, so they began to curry favor with her. Even the food sent to Yuheng Garden became much more sumptuous.
Madam Gu was in no mood to care about these miscellaneous matters. She thought about the jade pendant every day, but she did not know where to start… It was not until November 10th that an old maidservant came to report early in the morning. “Madam Gu, the British d.u.c.h.ess is here!”
Madam Gu could not help but be shocked that the British d.u.c.h.ess would visit without informing her.
Madam Gu did not have time to think carefully and quickly instructed Granny Li, “Go and welcome her personally.”
Granny Li hurriedly nodded.
In the end, Granny Li hurried away and returned in a panic. Panting, she reported, “Madam Gu, the British d.u.c.h.ess brought a matchmaker… She said she’s here to make an engagement with the Third Lady.”
What?! Madam Gu’s hand trembled and the prayer beads in her hand almost slipped.
She had thought that the British d.u.c.h.ess was here for the jade pendant, but she did not expect this!
Madam Gu clenched the prayer beads in her hand tightly, trying to suppress the anger in her heart that was about to condense into a ball.
Obviously, the British Monarchy wanted to blow things up!
There would probably be no peace this time.
Just as Madam Gu guessed, the British Monarchy made a huge scene this time. The matchmaker they invited was the wife of the prince’s uncle. Not only that, but they had also come today with gongs and drums. They carried more than ten boxes of small gifts and scattered money along the way. Along the way, they arrived at the entrance of the Marquis Mansion under the watch of the commoners in the capital.
Because of the huge scale of the British Monarchy, news spread from one to 10 people, from 10 to 100, from 100 to 1000… In less than half a day, almost the entire capital knew about this.
The entire capital was excited.
“Look at this scene. The British Monarchy attaches great importance to this marriage.”
“When the convoy from the British Monarchy pa.s.sed by just now, I ran over to take a closer look. Every box of small gifts was heavy and bent the pole carrying it.”
“I followed them all the way from the British Monarchy today and picked up a total of 20 copper coins. It’s enough for me to drink a pot of good wine.”
“…”
The lobby of a restaurant was full and lively as the customers drank alcohol and gossiped.
The conversation below was clearly transmitted to a private room on the second floor.
Kang w.a.n.g, Chu You, was sitting by the window, his eyes burning with majestic flames. He held a white porcelain wine gla.s.s tightly in his right hand, almost crushing it.
There was a clatter as the flagon beside him was knocked over by his elbow. Liquor flowed from it and spilled onto the table.
An eunuch hurried forward and tidied up the table nimbly before replacing the broken flagon with a new one.
Inside the booth, the atmosphere was oppressive and so quiet that even a pin drop could be heard.
Opposite Chu You sat a refined man in his 27s or 28s, dressed in a straight indigo robe with his hair tied up. Wearing a silver crown, this man called Yuan Zhe, who was Chu You’s cousin, exuded a calm and reserved aura.
Yuan Zhe picked up his wine gla.s.s and his eyes flickered as he recalled the scene of the convoy from the British Monarchy pa.s.sing through the streets.
Taking two sips of wine and looking at Chu You’s indignant expression, he suddenly understood something and sighed faintly.
“Your Highness, is this ‘Miss Gu’ the person you like?” Yuan Zhe asked bluntly.
The interests of the Yuan family and Kang w.a.n.g were naturally on the same side, so when facing Kang w.a.n.g, Yuan Zhe did not beat around the bush and spoke bluntly.
Chu You nodded silently. He suddenly raised his head and downed the wine in his gla.s.s. His entire body was as tense as a drawn bow, as if it would snap at any moment.
At this moment, his heart changed from initial anger to panic, as if something was about to be dug out of his chest.
If the Gu and Fang families really signed the marriage contract in person today, would he still have a chance?!
It was obvious that once things developed to this point, the Empress Dowager would not agree to his marriage with Rong’er!
Chu You’s eyes were turbulent as he tightened his grip on the empty wine gla.s.s in his hand. He wished he could rush to the Dingyuan Marquis Household now.
However, Chu You still suppressed the urge in his heart.
He had already gone to the Gu family to propose once. Last time, Madam Gu did not agree to it. He knew that Madam Gu valued Rong’er and did not want Rong’er to marry casually, and he could not make any promises to the Gu family…
This was not the Gu family’s fault. It was all the Fang family’s fault for being aggressive, and his fault for not being able to convince the Empress Dowager.
Chu You picked up the flagon and poured himself another gla.s.s of wine. Then he downed it again.
Cold wine trickled down his throat and burned in his stomach.
Chu You calmed down a little and looked at Yuan Zhe with a deep gaze. He slowly and firmly said the decision he had been considering for several days, “Cousin, I want Chu Yi to enter the court.”
...
As soon as these words were spoken, even Yuan Zhe, who had always been expressionless, changed his expression slightly. He raised his eyebrows in confusion. “His Highness?”
Chu You pursed his thin lips and his eyes darkened.
When the late Emperor was still alive, the first time he proposed to abolish the Crown Prince, Chu Qi, he was strongly opposed by half of the courtiers in the royal court on the grounds that he could not abolish the Crown Prince for no reason and that he was the eldest son of the first wife. Most of these pedantic people were civil servants from poor families who relied on imperial examinations.
Due to the constraints of these ministers from humble backgrounds, the late Emperor did not hesitate to spend more than ten years setting up the imperial court and implementing the “Nine-Rank System” to gradually strengthen the power of the aristocratic families in the imperial court. It was to acc.u.mulate power for him and wait for an opportunity.
The efforts of the previous Emperor for more than ten years were not in vain. Now, although Chu Qi had ascended the throne, he had yet to stabilize his position. He was suppressed by the aristocratic families in the royal court, making it difficult for him to take a single step.