“I ……”
Xu Ling’er was flustered and didn’t know how to answer.
Seeing such a reaction from her, what could Old Man Xu not understand, stopping to look at her and saying sternly, “Ling’er, whatever you have in mind, dispel it for me!”
“Great-grandfather.”
Xu Ling’er’s eyes were red.
After all, she had grown up in front of her own eyes, and seeing her like this, Old Mr Xu eased his tone, “Ling’er, there are countless other good men besides Song Si, Great Grandfather will definitely give you a satisfactory one.”
Xu Ling’er did not understand how Song Si could be engaged to Xiao Yao after only half a day’s work. But since this was already the case, it was useless for her to cry in front of her great-grandfather, so she nodded with red eyes, “I will listen to my great-grandfather.”
“Good girl.”
Xu Lao now stroked her head, “Go back and rest.”
Xu Ling’er blessed herself and turned to leave with her maid.
As he watched her walk away, Old Xu sighed.
Xu Ling’er cried and went to Wen’s house, jumping into her arms, “Mother!”
Wen was startled and hurriedly asked, “What’s wrong?”
“Song Si is betrothed to Xiao Yao from the Duke of Ding’s house.”
Wen hurriedly helped her up, “When did that happen?”
Xu Ling’er was crying with great sadness, she had so easily found someone she liked with an unlimited future, but someone else had gotten to her first.
“Just, just now, when I heard that Song Si had been taken away by the magistrates, I rushed to my great-grandfather, who told me.”
“How did he know?”
Xu Ling’er shook her head.
“Don’t you cry yet ……”
Wen took a handkerchief to wipe her tears, “Tell mother properly, what did your great grandfather say?”
Xu Ling’er choked back a sob and said what Old Man Xu had said.
After hearing this, Wen immediately called for a maid to come in and instructed, “Find a smart boy to go and find out if there is any news of Xiao Yao’s engagement in the Ding Guo Gong Mansion?”
The maid answered yes and went out to find someone to inquire.
“Don’t be in a hurry ……”
Wen reassured Xu Ling’er, “As long as things are not yet settled, everything will turn around.”
“But, but great grandfather he ……”
Wen didn’t think anything of it, “No need to listen to him, your life’s work is most important.”
Xu Ling’er had never heard her talk about Old Mr. Xu like this before, and for a moment her mouth froze slightly open.
Only then did Wen realise that she had spoken too much in her haste, and her eyes flashed, “Mother is also anxious, you have easily found someone you like, how can you give up so easily?”
Xu Ling’er’s eyes were red again, she didn’t want to give up, but the Xu family was headed by her great-grandfather, what if he didn’t listen to him and he was given up by him?
“Don’t worry ……”, Wen seemed to know what she was thinking and stroked her head soothingly, “I’m here for you, as long as I can find a husband for you, it doesn’t matter if I offend your great-grandfather. ”
The boy who went to inquire soon returned and reported that no news had come out.
After hearing this, Wen told Xu Ling’er to go back to her own courtyard while she went to find her mother, Huo.
The mother and daughter conferred for a long time before Wen left.
In the evening, Huo personally cooked some dishes in the courtyard’s kitchenette and had them set out in the house afterwards, and prepared a pot of good wine.
As soon as Mr Xu entered the house, he smelt the fragrance of the food and the day’s fatigue was swept away. While waiting for Huo to change his clothes, he said with a smile on his face, “Why do you want to cook today?”
The family Huo married before her was in poor conditions and she had to serve the whole family, so she practised very well in both women’s red and cooking, but when she later married Mr Xu Da, she had maids to serve her, so she rarely cooked, and only occasionally made a meal.
Huo took her home clothes and changed them for him, then wet a handkerchief and wiped his hands, “I finished the accounts yesterday, so today I have nothing to do, so I made your favourite dishes.
“I don’t need to taste it, I could smell it long ago.”
Mr. Xu sat down impatiently, picked up his chopsticks and put the dish in his mouth, Wen poured wine in front of him, saw him like this, smiled and asked, “How is it?”
“Full of flavour.”
Huo glared at him, “It’s just an ordinary meal, how can it be as delicious as you say?”
“As long as it’s your cooking, it’s delicious.”
Huo gave him several chopsticks of food in quick succession, “Then you should eat more.”
Mr Xu ate contentedly, taking sips of wine from time to time.
Huo watched his face and saw that a blush had risen on his face, so she knew it was almost time to speak, “I have something to discuss with you.”
“Go ahead.”
“Ling’er has fallen in love with a student called Song Si. I’ve sent people to inquire about him, and he’s a good person, but I’m a woman who can’t go out and talk to people directly, so you can help me think of a way.”
“That’s a good idea ……”
The first of these is to make sure that you have a good idea of what to do.
Huo was waiting for his words, and after breakfast the following day, she sent someone to invite Song Si.
Song Si was so happy that he stayed up all night and was still in high spirits when he got up in the morning. After breakfast, he was just about to read a book when there was a knock on the door of his room and Sun Jin’s voice rang out at the door, “Brother Song Si.”
Song Si walked over and opened the door, Sun Jin came in with a big stride and said eagerly, “I just heard at breakfast today that you were taken to the court yesterday, what happened?”
“A small matter.”
Song Si downplayed it, “I ran into thieves when I went to the west market yesterday, the Gu family’s boy killed one of them in a fight, the yamen asked me to come over for questioning.”
“Are you alright?”
“Would I still be standing here if I wasn’t?”
“Also.”
Sun Jin’s heart that had been hanging all the way fell back and sat down in a big way, “After I heard, I didn’t even finish my meal, so I rushed here, I was worried sick.”
Knock, knock, knock!
There was another knock on the door of the room.
“Who is it?”
“Sir Song, I’m from the Xu Mansion.”
The Xu Mansion?
Sun Jin rose to his feet, striding over to open the door, and the boy at the door thought he was Song Si, “Sir Song.”
Sun Jin was busy moving his body away, “I’m not, he is.”
The boy froze for a moment and hurriedly bowed towards Song Si, “Sir Song, our great sir invites you to come over for a visit.”
Mr. Big?
Sun Jin’s eyes slithered around a few times and he winked at Song Si, indicating that he should take him with him.
Song Si had no doubts, “Please wait a moment, I’ll follow you there once I’ve changed my clothes.”
As the boy closed the door, Sun Jin pulled on Song Si’s clothes, “No, you have to take me with you, otherwise you won’t get out of this door.”
Song Si had no choice but to give a word to Song Wan Yue and Gu Yi, and brought him along to the Xu family.