[š„š„ Support link: patreon.com/MrGhost69
You can find 110+ chapters ahead here
Also another exciting fanfic available š„š„]
Wei Tingyu nodded, saying no more, though his peripheral vision caught Third Lady Kangning darting a small, peculiar glare at him. This girl
Wei Tingyu nodded, saying no more, though his peripheral vision caught Third Lady Kangning darting a small, peculiar glare at him. This girl seemed unusually wary of his every interaction with Lady Li! But Wei Tingyu didn't comment, merely smiling and winking back at her.
"Marquis! Why are you sending secret glances at Third Sister?" Fifth Lady Leshan, sharp-eyed, noticed this and promptly spoke up. At once, Third Lady Kangning's face turned beet red, and the other ladies crowded around, teasing her merrily.
By afternoon, Kangning, Haode, and Leshanāthe three young ladies not yet married into the Marquis's estateāwere already getting along swimmingly with Wei Tingyu's other wives and concubines. They frolicked and chatted in the Marquis's courtyard as if it were their own home.
However, Lady Dou Zhao, Miao Ansu, and He Weifang each had their own businesses to attend to. Little Dou Ming had also gone off to learn the art of commerce from her elder sister. Zhao Zhangru, though free, had gone to the small martial arts training ground Wei Tingyu had specially set up, to practice with the Gold Shadow Guards.
Only Lady Shouhua and Second Lady Fuhui of the Li family remained to accompany their three younger sisters.
"Have you heard? That Young Master Yang..." Third Lady Kangning, head bowed, meticulously sniffing something, asked without looking up.
"What about Young Master Yang?" Shouhua, having been harassed by that man herself, immediately frowned upon hearing his name. In her opinion, that scoundrel wouldn't be so reckless, would he? Surely, knowing that the five Li sisters now belonged to the Marquis, he wouldn't still harbor designs on Third Sister?
"That Young Master Yang received a reprimand from the palace this morning, so he quickly packed up and left the capital!" However, Kangning didn't notice the slight tension on her eldest sister's face. Still engrossed in her embroidery, she casually revealed the news.
"Hmph!" Fifth Lady Leshan naturally had no goodwill towards Yang Xian; merely hearing his name made her feel nauseous. Now, hearing Third Sister say he had left the capital early in the morning, she let out a cold snort. "I bet he was too arrogant and offended some terribly influential person, which scared him into seeking refuge!"
"Perhaps!" Fourth Lady Haode nodded in agreement. "Didn't they say there was an imperial decree from the palace reprimanding him?"
"But isn't Concubine Yang Jieyu in the palace?" Second Lady Fuhui stood up and walked behind Kangning, observing her embroidery as she spoke, "Concubine Yang Jieyu is so favored; her own brother would naturally be held in high regard by the Emperor!"
"Logically, that should be the case!" Kangning heard her second sister from behind but didn't lift her head, merely continuing to nod as she busied herself with her embroidery. "However, people say Concubine Yang Jieyu is upright and often reprimands her own brother!"
"Perhaps this time, upon hearing about Young Master Yang's outrageous deeds, she scolded her unfilial brother again!"
"But they are still siblings! Even if she scolded him, how could it make Young Master Yang flee the city so early in the morning?" Fuhui still felt that something wasn't quite right.
"Enough! I think we shouldn't dwell on such unimportant matters anymore!" Eldest Lady Shouhua nodded and said. "Whatever the reason, it's good that someone has dealt with this lawless young master! As for the details, there's no point in us outsiders speculating. As long as he doesn't cause trouble for our family anymore, that's all that matters!" In Shouhua's view, whatever happened to Yang Xian had nothing to do with her, nor with her sisters! She would be satisfied as long as that annoying fellow never appeared before her or her sisters again.
Of course, no matter how much the five Li sisters thought, they could never have guessed that Yang Xian's most proud elder sister, Concubine Yang Jieyu, now also belonged to Wei Tingyu! Which, by extension, made her one of their own sisters! And the reprimand from the palace that morning had indeed come from Concubine Yang Jieyu herself! She had thoroughly scolded her good-for-nothing brother and warned him never to provoke Marquis Jining, Wei Tingyu, again! Otherwise, she wouldn't help him; instead, she would punish him ten or even a hundred times more severely than before!
Yang Xian, knowing his sister always kept her word, was naturally terrified. Coupled with his illness, which even the imperial physician had declared incurable that morning, he decided to leave the capital. He hoped to avoid his sister's wrath while also searching for any overlooked renowned doctors in the vicinity of the capital.
"He still dares to cause trouble?" Fifth Lady Leshan blinked, then raised her small, clenched fist and said, "If that scoundrel tries anything again, this girl will break his legs with a big stick!" The other four sisters shook their heads helplessly at their fifth sister's words. There's no changing this girl's personality in a short while!
Yet, the Marquis indulged her; whenever she spoke such bold words, he never showed any displeasure, which only made this young girl even more daring! But perhaps once she entered the Marquis's estate and became a lady, her temperament would soften.
However, just as the sisters were envisioning their fifth sister becoming more gentle and docile, the young girl darted over to Third Lady Kangning.
"Third Sister, what are you sewing?" Leshan, full of curiosity, leaned in beside Kangning, watching her embroidery and asking. Then, before Kangning could even respond, Leshan reached out, joyfully snatched the item, and began to examine it closely in her hands.
It was then that the other sisters clearly saw what Third Lady Kangning had been so busy with: a wooden figurine of a Mogoluo, for which she was meticulously sewing a beautiful kasaya. The sisters all recognized this Buddhist deity! For Mogoluo, in religious legends, was the son of Buddha Sakyamuni, and most importantly, this deity was specifically worshiped on the Qixi Festival in honor of the Cowherd and Weaver Girl! Girls worshiped him, simply put, to find a suitable husband and to hope for many children and blessings in the future. With Third Lady Kangning holding such an item, and even carefully embroidering clothes for it, who among the sisters couldn't guess her intentions? Of course, except for the playful Fifth Lady Leshan; she truly didn't overthink things.
"Oh! This is fun!" Leshan, seeing how delicate and cute the doll was, laughed and said, "It's mine now!" Without waiting for Third Lady Kangning's reaction, she turned and made to run off.
Kangning had been working on this little item for half a day and had her own plans for it. Seeing Fifth Sister trying to snatch it, she immediately grew anxious and quickly stood up, grabbing Leshan's sleeve. Then, as Leshan turned back, looking utterly bewildered, Kangning quickly reached out and took the doll from her hands.
Leshan was bewildered because she had always been the most spoiled in the Li family. In the past, no matter what delicious food or fun toys she wanted, her sisters would always let her have them, except for Fourth Lady Haode, who was only slightly older than her! This was the first time in her memory that Third Sister had ever refused her request! Moreover, Leshan wasn't unreasonable; whenever she liked something and took it from her sisters, she would only play with it for an hour or so before losing interest and returning it. Yet, now she even saw a hint of nervousness in Third Sister Kangning's eyes. And it wasn't just Leshan; the other Li sisters were also looking at Kangning, their eyes filled with confusion. This was the first time Kangning had ever lost her composure in front of her sisters!
"Iā¦" Kangning froze. Seeing her sisters' bewildered expressions, she inwardly cursed herself. It seemed she had been a bit too anxious just now and inadvertently revealed her secret thoughts. Thinking this, her eyes darted about, and she immediately came up with an excuse: "This is for Second Sister!" This way, Fifth Sister surely wouldn't try to snatch her doll, right? Leshan thought.
"Is that so? Let me see!" However, no sooner had she spoken than Second Lady Fuhui smiled slightly and gracefully walked over. Having entered the Marquis's estate, she was now even more poised than before; her gait and demeanor were almost on par with Eldest Lady Shouhua. Third Lady Kangning hadn't expected that Second Sister Fuhui, who usually disliked getting involved in sibling squabbles over possessions, would suddenly seem interested today! If only I had known, why would I have used her as an excuse? Kangning thought with some anguish, but Second Sister Fuhui had already walked up to her, her expression full of interest as she looked at the doll in Kangning's hand.
It's over! I dug my own grave this time! Kangning inwardly chided herself, but seeing Second Sister Fuhui's expectant gaze, she could only purse her lips and reluctantly, slowly, handed the doll over. Of course, her hesitation and unwillingness were clear for everyone present to see.
Second Lady Fuhui naturally noticed this too. As she looked at the doll, she also glanced at her third sister's expression, a knowing smile playing on her lips. This little girl still won't tell the truth? Thinking this, Fuhui immediately put on an expression of great interest in the doll, as if she couldn't wait to take it. And sure enough, when Kangning saw her second sister's expression, her face instantly became even more anxious. Her slightly raised hands clutched the doll tighter and tighter, so much so that her knuckles turned white! In her current state, even a blind person could tell this girl was definitely hiding something!
But Second Lady Fuhui, of course, wouldn't actually take something her third sister valued so much. She merely smiled at Kangning and said, "Look how nervous you are! What kind of treasure is this, that you're so reluctant to part with it?!"
Third Lady Kangning heard this and relaxed, knowing her second sister wasn't interested in the doll in her hands. Then she smiled and said, "Another day, I'll give Second Sister something even better! This oneā¦" The skill of making promises for the future wasn't just for modern people; clever little Third Lady Kangning had already mastered it on her own.
And hearing her third sister's promise for the future, Fuhui chuckled helplessly. She had never truly intended to take anything valuable from her third sister. She simply smiled and said, "I wouldn't dare accept a pure gold Mogoluo! Next time, send me a clay one!"
Hearing her second sister specifically mention that this doll was a Mogoluoāthe very deity favored by girls awaiting marriageāKangning's cheeks couldn't help but flush red. The other sisters in the room also wore expressions that said, "I understand," making her even more embarrassed.
Only Fourth Lady Haode and Fifth Lady Leshan giggled foolishly, then exchanged glances, and a hint of nervousness appeared in both their eyes. What was Third Sister doing this for? Surely, it was preparation for entering the Marquis's estate! Eldest and Second Sisters were already in the Marquis's estate, so they naturally didn't need it! But with Third Sister setting such an example, wouldn't it be bad if they, the two youngest, didn't prepare anything? What if Old Man Yue Lao got angry because of this and cut their red strings with the Marquis? That would be disastrous!
"Big Sister! Let's go to the night market tonight!" Thinking this, Fifth Lady Leshan's eyes darted about, then she pounced next to Eldest Lady Shouhua, shaking her arm and pouting playfully.
"To the night market?" Eldest Lady Shouhua was startled, looking at her fifth sister with some confusion. She didn't understand why this girl suddenly made such a request. After all, though the Marquis didn't confine them like prisoners in the estate, couldn't they go out and shop during the day? Evening was different from broad daylight, and she was still a bit worried!
Fourth Lady Haode also realized what was happening. She immediately understood Fifth Sister's intention and quickly nodded, leaning in on Eldest Lady Shouhua's other side. "My sister and I also want to buy a Mogoluo and make it some beautiful clothes!" Of course, Haode had nothing to hide now, so she quickly added.
"Oh!" Now, not only Eldest Lady Shouhua but all the other sisters understood. No wonder these two girls wanted to run off to the night market to buy something. After all, it would be quite embarrassing if two unmarried young girls were seen buying a Mogoluo figurine by acquaintances!
"Oh what?" Haode and Leshan's faces immediately turned red when they heard their sisters all say "Oh" in unison. However, Leshan still braved her shyness and said, "Let's all go together! Please!"
But at her words, the sisters were speechless. Are you little girls trying to buy a Mogoluo figurine, and you want us sisters to go along as your shields?
"I heard there's a large band of bandits in the city recently!" Second Lady Fuhui suddenly remembered something important, frowning as she spoke, "They often take advantage of chaos to rob the children of wealthy families and beautiful young women!" As she spoke of "beautiful young women" at the end, Fuhui gently poked Fifth Lady Leshan's waist, making the girl immediately squirm from the tickle.
And sure enough, upon hearing her second sister say this, even the usually fearless Fifth Lady Leshan showed a hint of fear on her face. After all, though she had a bold personality, she knew that a young woman like herself had no way to fight against murderous bandits. Moreover, these bandits were now specifically targeting beautiful young womenāwhy else would they be doing it? Even Eldest Lady Shouhua's face showed concern at this.
"Last month, they even abducted the only daughter of Squire Jiang from the east of the city! The authorities have posted notices everywhere, but there's still no trace of her!" Fuhui saw her sisters listening intently, so she continued!
"You believe that?" Fifth Lady Leshan was indeed a little scared, but she still stubbornly said, "Aren't those just rumors spread by busybodies to scare people?" "I play on the streets every day, and I've never heard of such a thing!" "It's all lies!"
Fourth Lady Haode nodded repeatedly, declaring that she wanted to go with Fifth Sister. After all, besides anything else, they absolutely had to buy a Mogoluo figurine! And such a thing definitely couldn't be bought by servants; they had to choose it themselves to show sincerity! Only then would Old Man Yue Lao not be displeased! The day they entered the Marquis's estate was surely drawing closer, so the two girls' hearts were slowly growing anxious.
"Oh, please! Let's go!" Fifth Lady Leshan saw that her sisters weren't speaking, so she directly pulled Second Lady Fuhui's sleeve and began to pout again.
Second Lady Fuhui, though worried about her sisters' safety, saw their determined expressions and knew that if she forcibly kept them confined, these two girls might even try to climb over the walls to get out. Wouldn't that be even more dangerous? Thinking this, Fuhui looked at Eldest Lady Shouhua. After all, their mother wasn't here, so Eldest Sister was surely in charge of the Li family.
As for the Marquisā¦ the three younger sisters hadn't yet entered the Marquis's estate, so strictly speaking, they weren't yet part of his household. Moreover, Wei Tingyu had already helped the Li family countless times before; surely they shouldn't bother the Marquis for such a small matter now? Even Eldest Lady Shouhua felt that would be going too far! But if all the Li sisters ran off together, it would indeed be difficult to explain to the Marquis. How could a concubine who had married into the household spend every day either returning to her maternal home or taking her sisters out to play? If the Marquis wanted her attendance and she was always absent, that would be truly improper! Even if the Marquis didn't mind, what would the other wives and concubines of the estate think? Wouldn't they believe the Li sisters were presumptuous and spoiled?