Chapter Fifteen The Man I Want to Marry

  Xiao Chengxian was sent away, and Yuan Dai took Wenping and Cailian back to Zhou Yiniang's western courtyard. Along the way, Cailian was eager to speak, but seeing Yuan Dai's indifferent expression, she didn't dare say anything, but the excitement on her face was beyond words.

  After visiting Aunt Zhou in the main house, Yuandai returned to the west wing. Hui'er saw her return and had already brewed tea for her. Yuandai took the tea and slowly stroked the Qinghua Cangzhi peony teacup in her hand, sighing softly after a long while. She then instructed Wenshu: "Wenshu, go to Yuanzhen's place tomorrow and bring back a few pots of flowers!"

  Wen Ping was taken aback by her sudden instruction, and after a moment of stunned silence, he asked in puzzlement: "But Miss Xiang Ri said before that those flowers and plants wouldn't be retrieved for the time being, so why did you suddenly change your mind today?"

  Her distant eyebrows slightly moved, and she said faintly: "Sixth Master has a friend who took a liking to these flowers of mine. Some days ago, he had Sixth Master ask me for them on his behalf. I thought that I should give Sixth Master this bit of face at the very least!"

  Wenping had not spoken yet, when Cailian hastily opened her mouth and said: "Miss is absolutely right! To tell the truth, old lady also likes these flowers and grasses, Miss might as well..."

  She was about to continue, but Yuandai had already become slightly impatient and interrupted her with a light cough: "As for the old lady's place, I have my own plans, but it's not up to you to take charge of this matter for me!" The tone was very severe, and Cailian was startled in her heart, hastily closing her mouth.

  Wen Ping listened on one side, and couldn't help but glare at Cai Lian with a slight frown. She then gently pushed her and said: "The weather in the capital is always very dry and cold in winter, making people feel uncomfortable. In this kind of weather, it's suitable to have some bird's nest congee. The high-quality blood swallow nests that Miss Xiao sent over last time haven't been used yet. Go get them quickly and cook a congee for Miss!"

  Lotus-picking heart was already nervous, after hearing this, she hastily lowered her head in response and quickly walked out.

  Yan Dai watched her leave, shaking his head involuntarily. Wen Ping opened his mouth to say something, but hesitated and didn't know what to say for a while, before asking in a low voice: "Miss, what kind of flowers do you plan to give to Sixth Master?"

  Yan Dai slightly closed her eyes, thought for a moment, and said: "Just give those two pots of jasmine to Sixth Master, that's all!"

  The flower Wen Ping heard was the jasmine, which wasn't unexpected. Jasmine is one of the easier flowers to care for among those raised by Yuan Dai. This flower has an elegant shape, leaves as green as jade, and a fragrant scent that calms the mind and soothes the spirit, making it both beautiful and practical.

  Yuandai thought for a moment, then instructed: "We are currently in the mansion, and it's not convenient for you to go out. To avoid unnecessary trouble, when you do go out, look for Sixth Master. With his word, we won't have to worry about others causing trouble!"

  The matter is settled with just one word.

  …………

  As soon as she left the Xiao mansion, Xiao Chengyan got into her own carriage. At this moment, she was preoccupied with the "Three Friends of Winter" tea ceremony, and as soon as she got on the carriage, she leaned against the wall and began to ponder which steps to omit from the ceremony.

  She was born into a top-tier family in the Great Zhou, and her temperament was somewhat arrogant. When she directly took the revised prescription of Fangzi back to refine it, she always felt a bit resentful in her heart. The original prescription for that tea, Fangzi could refine it by luck, but no matter how many times she tried, it never worked out, which also made her feel somewhat hurt in her self-esteem. Therefore, she had some ideas and wanted to rely on her own strength to modify this prescription.

  She was lost in thought, but suddenly a faint cough sounded beside her ear. Her eyebrows moved slightly, and Xiao Chengyan completely ignored the faint cough, continuing to ponder her tea recipe. However, the person who had coughed seemed unwilling to let her off, seeing that she didn't respond, he deliberately coughed several more times. Xiao Chengyan pursed her lips slightly, knowing that she couldn't ignore him after all, and reluctantly raised her eyes to look at the man sitting opposite her: "Big brother, if you have something to say, just go ahead!"

  The person sitting opposite her was handsome and elegant, but wasn't it Xiao Chengye? After hearing Xiao Chengyan's words, he smiled and said: "But what did the Ninth Miss say to you again? I see that after leaving the Xiao Manor, you always have a thoughtful look on your face?"

  Xiao Chengyan smiled and said, "As for what Xiao Chengye said, I didn't hide anything from you. I told her everything that Yuan Dai had said." After hearing this, Xiao Chengye couldn't help but shake his head and laugh, saying, "Now that I think about it, I realize that tea was indeed a bit too mysterious."

  Xiao Chengyan raised an eyebrow and asked back, "If it weren't for that one showy yet empty move, would big brother think the tea is good?"

  Xiao Chengye paused for a moment, and then said: "The tea is indeed good, but it's not particularly rare!" His Xiao family was a noble family, yet they were different from ordinary aristocratic families. Xiao Chengye's words were spoken with feeling, and there was nothing improper about them.

  Xiao Chengyan nodded and said seriously: "I think so too!"

  At this point, they both looked at each other unintentionally and fell silent for a moment.

  After a while, Xiao Chengye said faintly: "It seems that this Ninth Miss is quite cunning!"

  This young lady, if she had no ulterior motives, why would she have specially brought out this tea to entertain them that day. And thinking about it further, perhaps when Ling Yuqing went to the other courtyard to rest, she had already made arrangements for someone to inform her of his illness in advance.

  Thinking of this, Xiao Chengyan's heart was indeed not very pleasant.

  Xiao Cheng was silent for a long time before saying, "Actually, it's hard to blame her! To say the least, the Ling family has been too unfair to her and her mother!"

  Xiao Chengye nodded and stopped talking. Such things would not happen in the Xiao family, which had a single heir, but not having eaten pork did not mean one had never seen a pig run. In the wealthy families, the most common thing was the struggle between wives and concubines, and the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children. Although it made people feel annoyed, it could not be eradicated. However, Xiao Chengye still had some resentment towards Yuan Dai in his heart. He wanted to advise his sister not to get too close to Yuan Dai, but he felt that Xiao Chengyan might not listen to him.

  Just as he was hesitating, Xiang Chengyan had already glanced at him sideways and asked with a smile: "Big brother has already asked me, why didn't you tell me what you said to Ling Yuqing?"

  Xiao Cheng Ye's heart slightly stirred, and he couldn't help but glance at his sister with a smile. He said leisurely, "Far Qing's concerns, don't you already know? Do you need to come ask me repeatedly? Are you trying to confirm it again?"

  Xiao Chengxian let out a soft snort, but didn't say anything. The Ling and Xiao families had been getting quite close over the past few years, although they hadn't explicitly stated their intentions, it was already clear as day. However, she had always pretended not to know about this matter, and even kept her distance from Ling Yuancheng: "There's no need for confirmation! But I do have one thing to advise my brother..." She couldn't help but glance at Xiao Chengxian as she spoke: "I advise my brother to absolutely not get involved in this mess, or else he'll end up unable to face anyone in the end!"

  Xiao Chengye listened to her being so straightforward, but also felt helpless, shaking his head and sighing: "Yuan Qing is impeccable in both character and family background, but I really can't understand why you just can't accept him!"

  After a long while, Xiao Chengyan suddenly recited in a soft and melodious voice: "He gathers calamus, one day without seeing him is like three months! He gathers shao grass, one day without seeing him is like three autumns! He gathers mugwort, one day without seeing him is like three years!"

  Xiao Chengye did not expect her to suddenly recite this poem, and for a moment he was taken aback.

  These few sentences are from the poem "Cai Ge" in the Book of Songs, which describes the entwined and hard-to-express love between men and women. However, Xiao Chengye really didn't know why his sister suddenly recited this poem at this moment.

  Could it be that she already has someone in mind? Xiao Chengye thought, but then felt that it was highly unlikely. To be honest, compared to the other young ladies from good families in the capital, Xiao Chengyan was indeed much freer, but this was only relative. At least Xiao Chengye knew that their parents would never allow his sister to go out freely without him accompanying her.

  Doubtful eyes gazed at Xiao Chengyan, who furrowed his brow and said, "What exactly do you want to say?"

  Xiao Chengyan smiled and said, "Next time Ling Yuancheng asks again, big brother can recite this poem to him..." Xiao Chengye was taken aback, just as he was about to ask further, Xiao Chengyan quickly cut off his words: "If I were to marry, I would want to marry a man who treats me like that! Big brother might as well ask Ling Yuancheng if he can do it or not?"