Chapter 174: Chapter 174: The Roulette (Part 5)
When October arrived, the weather suddenly turned much colder. Lord Duan fell ill again, but this time, luck was not on his side as it was before. Three days into his illness, on the night of the ninth day of October, mourning cries echoed from the Duan Mansion. The court was in complete turmoil, and after a fierce struggle between the two princes, the Third Prince gained the upper hand. As a result, Tong Zhengchuan, after a bout of competition, was promoted to Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, awarded the fourth-rank title and was conferred as East Pavilion Scholar, successfully entering the Cabinet.
The Second Household rose with the tide, receiving guests all day, and even the First Household benefited to a certain extent.
In mid-November, the Capital saw its first snowfall. Xiqiu directed Sixing and others to hang cotton curtains on the windows; the bed warmer was also lit again. She sat on the heated bed, looking at Tong Xiyan curled up at the foot of the bed, and said, "Has there been any letter back from Young Master Jiang?"
Tong Xiyan shook his head blankly, "It’s already been a month and a half. I asked Cousin, and he said he hasn’t been able to contact him either." Xiqiu also sighed; the battle in Fujian, initially just a minor disturbance by a few hundred pirates, led to the court misusing resources by sending Marquis Xuanning there, only for the conflict to escalate over a year.
This is the second time the Marquis has lost contact; even Jiang Shilin has gone missing. What exactly happened over there in Fujian?
Just as Xiqiu was about to speak, Nanny Duan lifted the elegant green cotton curtain and entered with a grim expression, speaking to Tong Xiyan, "Miss, Madam Qian is here, and Lady is calling for you." Tong Xiyan feebly waved her hand and said, "I’m not going. Tell Mother I’m ill!"
Nanny Duan grew anxious and replied, "My dear Miss, at this point, you can’t still focus solely on that Young Master Jiang. Regardless if Lady agrees to your marriage, the fact that he is missing, perhaps you plan to wait unnamed and unranked for him all your life?" Nanny Duan said with some deep disappointment, "I heard that Madam Qian came this time to propose marriage on behalf of her nephew. It’s said that Young Master Zhou is very talented. Although he’s only a scholar now, many families in the Capital are keen on forming ties with the Zhou Family. Lady has gone to great lengths to find this match for you. You can’t let your lifelong marriage be delayed for a Young Master Jiang who may not even be alive."
Tong Xiyan apparently already knew about it.
Xiqiu raised her eyebrows subtly. Madam Qian had been in contact with Lady for quite some time without any mention of marriage, so why propose all of a sudden? Could it be that due to Second Master’s advancement, she noticed the rise of the Tong Family and is eager to finalize the alliance quickly?
Tong Xiyan wrapped her head in the blanket and murmured, "Even if I can’t wait a lifetime, I have to wait for news about him. How can I arrange a marriage while he’s missing? If he returns, how would I explain to him?"
Nanny Duan, at a loss for words, patted the back of the blanket-wrapped Tong Xiyan and said, "You... if Lady finds out, what should I do?"
Xiqiu shook her head at Nanny Duan, signaling her to stop talking. Tong Xiyan’s mind was solely on Jiang Shilin. Without news of him, should Lady insist on a marriage, who knows what unimaginable things might happen.
Nanny Duan had no choice but to go to the front courtyard to report to Lady. Lady frowned deeply upon hearing the report, but dared not reveal any thoughts to Madam Qian for fear of arousing suspicion. She could only smile and say, "The weather suddenly turned cold; maybe she caught a chill."
Madam Qian’s eyes shifted, a smile spread across her face, "You must take care of your health. If you’re unwell, it’s best to see a doctor."
Lady nodded in agreement and instructed Nanny Duan, "Go and call Doctor Hu!" Nanny Duan, her mouth full of bitterness, could only curtsey and comply.
After Madam Qian left, Lady summoned Tong Xiyan and vented her anger. Tong Xiyan remained half-dead in spirit, fuelling Lady’s anger as she pointed at her, saying, "You are flesh of my flesh. Every decision I make is for your benefit. I’ve considered this match carefully; Young Master Zhou is exceptional. Whatever you’re thinking, put it aside. If this continues, I’ll report to your father and send you to Baoding to guard the ancestral hall."
Tong Xiyan hung her face down, not retorting to anything Lady said. Seeing this, Lady, as if punching cotton, was so infuriated she couldn’t help but wave for Nanny Duan to help her back.
The next day, Tong Shen Zhi hurriedly returned home from the pavilion to change clothes, left in haste again without eating lunch, and didn’t return until the following day. Lady became anxious and sent people to look for him. Tong Shen Zhi returned with a face full of stubble.
Lady pulled him close, asking with concern, "What happened? Why are you in such a state?"
Tong Shen Zhi shook his head with no expression, his voice calm, "Jiang Shilin is back."
Lady raised her eyebrows, puzzled, "The Third-Ranked Scholar Jiang who went to Fujian? What does that have to do with you?" Tong Shen Zhi glanced at Lady and replied, "He’s severely injured and unconscious!"
"Severely injured?" Lady finally realized the gravity of the situation: "And how’s the Marquis now?"
Tong Shen Zhi replied, "The Marquis is fine, but the situation in Fujian is likely to be uncontrollable for now. The court has ordered General Zhenwei to lead a reinforcement of 200,000 troops. Now, the entire court is discussing when to dispatch the troops."
It’s just a few pirates; how did it escalate so much? Lady was bewildered and wanted to ask Tong Shen Zhi more, but he already went inside, only to come out dressed anew within the time taken for a cup of tea. He told Lady, "I’m heading to the pavilion."
Jiang Shilin wasn’t very familiar to the Tong Mansion, so the news didn’t have much impact. However, upon hearing it, Xiqiu’s heart skipped a beat, and she immediately stood up, telling Sixing, "Let’s go to Fourth Miss’s place."
Sixing hesitated, glancing outside, and asked, "It’s snowing heavily, Miss. Should you wait a bit longer?" Her words were cut short as Xiqiu had already lifted the curtain and gone out.
"Miss," Sixing could only follow behind them. The two waded through the heavy snow to Tong Xiyan’s courtyard.
Contrary to expectations of a drastic reaction, Tong Xiyan sat peacefully on the heated bed. Seeing her arrival, she smiled brightly and greeted, "Sixth Sister, come sit." Xiqiu looked at her doubtfully, assessing if she knew about Jiang Shilin’s condition.
However, Tong Xiyan smiled and said, "Young Master Jiang sent a letter saying he’s safe and sound and told me not to worry!"
Xiqiu was stunned; indeed, Tong Xiyan was unaware that Jiang Shilin was unconscious.
She looked up at Nanny Duan, who, shielding Tong Xiyan, gestured quietly to Xiqiu not to say anything. Understanding, Xiqiu smiled and replied, "That’s truly fortunate. It’s good that he’s safe."
Tong Xiyan beamed and nodded, "He said he’d return before the New Year. Once he’s back, he’ll propose to Mother!" Xiqiu paused, about to speak, when Tong Xiyan added with a smile, "Sixth Sister, I’ve checked the waterway and land route from Fujian to the Capital. If he takes the waterway, it should take about a month. Alternatively, by land, it would be slightly longer, roughly under two months." She held Xiqiu’s hand, smiling with joy, "Sixth Sister, should I write to Father first and let him know? If Father supports me, even if Mother disagrees, she won’t have much choice, right?"