Chapter 242: Chapter 242: Once It’s in Its Paws, It’s Theirs! (Xue Tuan Arc)
The girl, who was whispering just moments ago, now feels her eyelids growing heavier, overcome by drowsiness, and Shen Hua’s body completely slackens.
Barely hearing someone calling softly, Shen Hua follows the sound. In a flash, daybreak shines brightly.
It nestles in Cui Yun’s embrace.
Cui Yun strokes the cat’s fur, his voice neither rushed nor slow.
"Now that the official decree for marriage has been announced, the matter is settled. Cousin, you should drink less; alcohol is harmful to the body."
Xuan Chen is not the spirited figure Shen Hua remembers; he is now utterly dejected.
A mocking smile plays on his lips.
"The official? Truly, their reach is everywhere."
"That year with a single imperial edict, the Xuan Residence dared not defy and had no choice but to force my aunt to marry into the Marquis Yangling Mansion. And now, with another edict, I’m to marry the daughter of Prince Guo."
What can the Xuan Family do?
What can Duke Wen’s Mansion, which had already exchanged the Geng Tie and set an auspicious date with the Xuan Family, do?
Cui Yun pinches the soft cat ears: "Ji Ge came looking for me last night. He dropped a piece of news."
"The Crown Prince intends to take Lady Wen as his Crown Princess Consort. He never speaks the truth, so I didn’t take it seriously."
Cui Yun: "There is no room for maneuvering given by the official family in this matter."
"Today, during the early court session, in front of all the civil and military officials, one marriage decree was handed to the Xuan Family, another to the Wen Family, and my uncle and Duke Wen had no choice but to bow their heads and accept them both."
The Imperial Family is no different from bandits, yet they still like to play tricks to calm public sentiment and wrath.
Fully aware that the Xuan and Wen families were on the verge of a joyous event, they still had to forcefully intervene.
The daughter of Prince Guo is compensation for the Xuan Family.
This is a blessing from the imperial family, and you can’t utter a word of refusal. You even have to kneel towards the direction of the Imperial Palace and give thanks for the heavenly grace.
"Just one step away."
Xuan Chen throws down the wine jug fiercely, laughing and crying as if mad: "I’ve adored her since childhood! Just one step further and she would have been the Xuan Family’s wife."
Xue Tuan suddenly looks up, its round eyes swirling.
It seems to have heard something utterly paramount.
Cui Yun only thinks the cat is startled and chuckles disdainfully.
"Back then, brother dared to refuse the marriage with Princess You Ning, wagering undoubtedly that sister-in-law was just a commoner, with no officials in her family."
She posed no threat to the Imperial Family.
At the same time, Emperor He was still relying on Marquis Yangling Mansion to fight for his empire.
However, Emperor He’s desire for control gradually revealed itself as he became more secure in his reign.
It’s not just the Xuan and Wen Residences, but also the Xie Family from Duke Fu’s Mansion that were suppressed.
This kind of thing, not to mention Xuan Chen being powerless, even if Cui Yun wanted to, he couldn’t stop it.
"Cousin."
"You can leave now, let me be alone."
Cui Yun purses his lips, left with no choice but to leave holding Xue Tuan.
Xue Tuan stretches its head trying to look back, but is turned around by Cui Yun.
"Cui Yun, your cousin..." Xuan E is worriedly pacing in the courtyard.
Cui Yun merely shakes his head: "Aunt needs to give cousin some time. It’s inevitable that he’s having difficulty accepting this."
Xuan E sighs deeply: "Even I can’t come to terms with it, how can we expect him to let go."
"The Astronomical Observatory has sent over an auspicious date. It’s set for three months from now."
Cui Yun says nothing, speaks a few more words to Xuan E, and then leaves the Xuan Residence to head home.
Cui Xuan has already been waiting outside the gates of Marquis Yangling Mansion for some time. After asking Cui Yun a question, her myriad thoughts eventually converge to one.
"Tomorrow, accompany me to the Daoist School."
"In these days, there has been no word from your father or brothers for too long. I am very unsettled, and constantly anxious without reason. It would be good to seek a blessing for safety."
Cui Yun speaks gently: "Yes, my son will take care of it."
During the gaps in their conversation, Xue Tuan familiarly makes its way to Qiao Si’s quarters nimbly and elegantly.
The servants behave as if they see nothing and keep to themselves.
"Why has the Second Young Master’s cat come here?"
Qiao Si was drinking bird’s nest soup. She was six months pregnant, and the kitchen went all out to make nourishing medicinal meals for her. She had become plumper, but still retained her gentle and graceful charm. Her belly was high and bulging, making movements quite inconvenient.
Upon hearing the words, she looked up and met the gaze of the tiger-headed Xue Tuan.
Xue Tuan approached step by step and jumped onto the nearby long bench. Its round eyes sparkled, clear and bright.
The lipstick young lady is wearing today looks really pretty!
Want it.
Seeing this, Qiao Si assumed it was coveting food. She ordered the servants to bring clean bowls and plates, scooped a few spoonfuls of blood bird’s nest into a bowl, and smoothly picked up the cat onto her lap. "Did you sneak out?"
Xue Tuan shook its head proudly.
Qiao Si skillfully fed it with a spoon.
"You have some too."
Xue Tuan shook its head, and then tilted its head to the side, cautiously touching Qiao Si’s round belly with its paw.
As if responding, the baby inside moved.
Little rascal!!!
Xue Tuan shivered, its wet mouth corners seemingly curling into a smile, as it brought its head closer.
The old woman by the side said, "The Young Madam’s pregnancy is stable, and the child isn’t causing trouble, which shows it loves you, Mama. It’s just that we don’t know whether it will be a little girl or a little boy."
"Meow."
It’s a little girl.
"This will be the first offspring of the Marquis Mansion."
Qiao Si said, "There are two months left before birth. By that time, the young man should also return."
She was really longing for Cui Bai.
Thinking of this, she gave a shallow smile, "In his last letter, he said that if it’s a boy, he’ll be named Cui Xu, and if it’s a girl, she’ll be named Cui Rong."
Xue Tuan’s body stiffened for a moment, and it hummed as it glanced at Qiao Si.
It knew, Cui Bai, wasn’t coming back.
Suddenly, it jolted. It jumped down from Qiao Si’s lap and headed outside, then turned back halfway.
Qiao Si didn’t understand why. She just saw Xue Tuan deftly jump onto the dressing table and grab the lipstick box with its fuzzy front paws.
"Meow."
"This is...?"
Xue Tuan thought for a moment and then painstakingly took out a gold melon seed from the little pouch around its neck.
Then, it extended it toward Qiao Si and stuffed the small and delicate lipstick box into the pouch.
The old woman exclaimed in surprise, "Is this cat trying to buy the lipstick from you?"
"This cat is quite cunning."
Qiao Si indulged it, "It has always been smart."
"But... this was not easy for the Young Madam to obtain. The lipstick Jade Bottle is exquisitely carved, but the cat can’t use it, it’s a waste."
The old woman said, "The last Jade Bottle you finished using is still kept by the servant. How about we clean it up and let the cat play with it?"
Upon hearing this, Xue Tuan immediately covered its pouch protectively. It then took out a few more gold melon seeds.
It’s mine!
Once it’s in my possession, it’s mine!
It certainly didn’t want an empty bottle!
It obviously didn’t care whether Qiao Si agreed or not and ran outside swiftly.
Behind it, Qiao Si’s concerned voice followed, "Be careful. I didn’t say I wouldn’t give it to you, just don’t break it."
Xue Tuan returned to its room.
Its room was also Cui Yun’s room.
There was a gorgeously carved small bed with inlaid gems at the inner chamber beneath the canopy. The gauze curtains fluttered gently with the breeze, and hanging down from them were small balls the size of a thumb made out of silk threads.
This was its current nest.
Next to it stood a red glazed porcelain willow leaf vase and a small dressing table Cui Yun had specially commissioned a master to make.
On top of it were various kinds of rouge and ointments. Xue Tuan, feeling greatly satisfied, placed the lipstick there as well.