Xu was soon fetched by Xiao Si and dressed up when she learned that it was to discuss the engagement of Song San Xiao and Qi Ying.
Song Wan Yue waited at the entrance of the dartboard and when she got off the carriage, she took her arm and walked inside, followed by Xiao Si with the gifts.
A dart master ran to report the news and Madam Qi greeted her, welcoming her inside after some pleasantries. There was no longer Qi Wu or Qi Ying in the house.
Xu gestured for Xiao Si to put the gifts down, “I came in a hurry and didn’t prepare anything nice, I hope Madam doesn’t mind.”
“What are you talking about, it is our bad manners that we did not inform you in advance.”
“You are very kind ……”, Xu said, “Before I came, I went to see my grandfather and asked him to look at the date, six days later is a good day, if you agree, we will set it for that day. ”
“Good.”
Mrs. Qi responded readily.
“And what are your requirements for the betrothal gift?”
“We are not an unattainable family, just the same as the other families in your village.”
……
In a few words, the date of the betrothal was set. Xu and Song Wan Yue left the dartboard and got on the carriage, lamenting, “I didn’t expect Mrs. Qi to be so nice, your third uncle will be blessed in the future.”
Even in the countryside, there were few people who were so painful to deal with. If you caught a good one, you would ask for less betrothal gifts; if you caught a bad one, you would simply be selling your daughter.
“Third uncle is indeed “blessed”.”
Song Wangyue meant something, but Xu didn’t catch the meaning of her words, “Let’s go to the market and ask your second uncle and second aunt to send a letter back.”
The carriage went to the market, and as soon as they got off the carriage, Song San Xiao saw them and put down the bowl he was holding and came over, “Sister-in-law, Yue’er, what brings you here, is the old man well?”
Xu smiled and said, “Grandfather’s health is fine now. I came over to tell you that I went to the Wei Yuan Dart Office just now and set a date with Madam Qi for your engagement with Miss Qi, in six days’ time.”
“Really?”
Song San Xiao was overjoyed, ever since he heard the news yesterday that Old Mister had woken up, he had been hoping that Old Mister would get well soon and he would be engaged.
“Naturally it’s true, I’ll discuss the betrothal gift with your second sister-in-law first.”
“Sister-in-law sit down quickly.”
Song Sanxiao took a rag and wiped the stool again and again.
“Third Uncle, if you wipe the stool again, you should be missing a piece.”
Song Wangyue teased him.
Song San Xiao grinned, unable to suppress his joy.
Liu Cui Lan also saw them and came over, “Sister-in-law.”
Although it was not yet noon, there were already quite a few people eating cold skin, and Song Sanxiao went over to help.
Xu said what she had just said to Song San and gave it to Liu Cui Lan once again, “When you go back today, first give Mother a word, I’ll send your big brother back in the evening, pick her up in the morning, and then go and buy third brother’s betrothal gift.”
“Okay, I’ll tell mother when I get back.”
Xu nodded and sat for a while longer, asking about the situation at home.
……
At the same time, the carriage in which Mr Xu Er and Xu Yan were riding also came into Qingping County, and the two inquired all the way to Qinghe Academy, where they learned that the old man had woken up, and their anxious hearts settled down after a long journey.
The dean took them there and on the way told them what had happened in the past few days.
“Do you mean that Qin Qian has not confessed until now why he poisoned my father?”
The dean nodded.
He now felt that Song Wangyue had made a mistake, and that the one who had poisoned him was perhaps not Qin Qian, but someone else. Qin Qian, a weak scholar, would not be able to withstand the torture in the county court.
“Did you send someone to check out his details?”
“Checked, his parents are small local celebrities, it is impossible that they have an enemy with his benefactor.”
That was strange, if there was no enmity, why would he poison himself?
“After you’ve seen father, you come with me to the county court and we’ll go over and ask.”
The dean nodded again, and he had wanted to go over there too.
When the carriage arrived at the entrance of the mansion, as soon as the three of them got off the carriage, the watchman saw them and hurried over, “Second Sir, Young Master Sun, Dean.”
“How is father?”
Mr. Xu Er asked as he hurried inside.
“Much better already, Young Master Gu is playing chess with him.”
The three of them went to the old gentleman’s house with quick steps, and the moment they saw him, the heart that Mr. Xu Er and Xu Yan had been carrying for days finally fell back.
“Father.”
“Grandfather.”
Seeing that they were both dusty, the old man asked Xu Liang to take them down to freshen up.
The dean himself moved a stool and sat to the side to watch the two play chess. After watching them play a few moves, his hands got a little itchy, “Master En, you’ve just woken up, you shouldn’t bother much, I’ll help you play.”
“You ah ……”
The old gentleman smiled and pointed at him, giving way to a seat, and the dean immediately sat down.
The old gentleman smiled and shook his head, and went to the painting hall, where Mr. Xu Er and Xu Yan came over after freshening up.
“Is father not feeling well?”
“Don’t worry guys, with Doctor Yao here, I’ll be fine, it’s you guys, you’ve come so quickly, you’re exhausted, right?”
The two were literati and could not ride horses, so they had to take a carriage. They were only a day or so behind the Duke of Qi and they must not have rested along the way.
“We were worried sick.”
The old gentleman stroked his beard, “What is there to worry about, I’m so old that it’s worth dying.”
“Father ……”
The old gentleman waved his hand, “I’ve been thinking about a question since I woke up yesterday, if it was really Qin Qian who poisoned me, what was his purpose? If not him, who could it be?”
“Just on the way from the academy my son also thought about it, you have never had a grudge against anyone in your life, what exactly did the person who poisoned you want to do, so my son thought, after a while go to the county court and ask him personally.”
“Go ahead and tell him that if he speaks of his own accord, I will forgive him for whatever reason.”
“Yes.”
“Yan’er accompany your second uncle.”
The two of them came out and got on the carriage to the entrance of the county court.
Mr Xu’s junior took out his name card and handed it to the magistrate watching the door, “Our second gentleman wants to see the county magistrate, please give a notice.”
The magistrate did not dare to be slow, so he turned around and ran in quickly. Not long after, the County Magistrate came in in a hurry, welcomed the two inside and ordered someone to serve tea.
The county magistrate asked cautiously, “I wonder if the two of you are here ……?”
“We would like to see Qin Qian.”
The county magistrate was stunned.
Mr. Xu Er saw it, “Is it inconvenient?”
“Do the two of you come, does Miss Song know?”
“We haven’t seen Yue’er yet.”
So that was the case, the county magistrate became even more cautious, “You two don’t know, Qin Qian has already died from the heavy torture, and his body was thrown to a mass grave, I’m afraid it would have been gnawed up by wild dogs by now.”
“What do you mean?”
Mr Xu Er was incredulous.
Even if Qin Qian had poisoned him, he was not guilty of such a crime, how could the county magistrate take a life in such a hasty manner.
The county magistrate’s head was in a cold sweat and he wanted to tell the truth, but he didn’t dare to, so he could only say in fear, “It was because I was so eager to save the old man that I ordered a heavy sentence to be used, but I didn’t think he would ……”