Ask the Nine Ministers

Chapter 11: A show of force

In Lixiangyuan, Ruyi took out the autumn-scented jacket that Xue Sui had kept in the bottom of his box.

This was the brightest and best-made piece of clothing in her trunk. The rest of her clothes were mostly plain, not as bright and beautiful as those worn by the maids in Xue's mansion.

Ruyi snorted, "The Madam made a promise in front of the Master that day, saying that she would buy clothes and accessories for our daughter. But after such a long time, there has been no progress. I think she is licking back the saliva she spit out."

Xiao Zhao burst out laughing, "You are the only one with a bad mouth."

After that, he carefully looked at the elegant face in the bronze mirror and asked, "Miss, would you like to apply a little rouge to touch up your complexion?"

Xue Sui shook his head, "It's better to be a little more humble."

As we were chatting and laughing, the door was pushed open.

Xue Ji came in from outside, her face pale from the frosty wind, she was wearing a green cloth headscarf, and a gray jacket with two inconspicuous patches on it. She was wearing a pair of cloud-shaped brocade shoes, and the crabapple flowers on the uppers had long been washed and had lost their original color.

She was afraid of disturbing something, so she folded her hands in front of her, hunched her back slightly, and asked carefully: "Excuse me, ladies, I want to have a private conversation with Sixth Sister..."

She was very nervous, and even when talking to the maids and servants in Lixiangyuan, she nodded and lowered her head.

Xiao Zhao and Ruyi retreated.

Xue Sui asked: "Is there anything you want to talk to me about?"

Since she was little, Xue Ji never allowed her to call her "mother". Calling her Xue Ji directly seemed strange. If Xue Sui was more intimate with her, she would not be used to it.

After ten years of separation, it seems difficult for them to get close.

Xue Ji looked at her evasively, took out a worn purse from her bosom, and stuffed it into her hand awkwardly.

"Sixth sister, take it and buy some clothes..."

Xue Sui pinched his purse and took out the contents.

There were some scattered copper coins, a small piece of silver, and a silver hairpin that came from nowhere. It was bent, showing its age.

Over the years in the Xue Mansion, Xue Ji worked like a slave, but did not receive the monthly salary that a slave should have. This money did not come easily to her.

Xue Sui stared at her quietly.

Xue Ji felt nervous and her palms were covered with sweat.

"It's clean silver. The hairpin was given to me by your father, and the money was saved over the years. These were earned by helping the maids in the compound with washing and mending. The rest was the wedding money given to the second young lady when she got married..."

She pursed her dry lips and forced a smile, "From now on, when you go to the palace, you will have to rely on your elder sister to take care of you. You should dress up nicely and give her a smile more often..."

Seeing that Xue Sui didn't say anything, she spoke stutteringly and nervously.

"I think this money is not enough. I will think of more ways."

Xue Sui's eyes were a little hot: "Where are you going to think?"

Xue Ji was at a loss and didn't dare to look her in the eyes.

"I...I'll go and ask the second young lady. She looks cold but is kindhearted. I think she'll be willing to lend her a set of clothes..."

She was ashamed of her incompetence. She turned around, wiped her tears and was about to leave, but was stopped by Xue Sui.

"mother……"

Xue Ji froze and looked at her in surprise.

"Sixth sister, what did you call me?"

"Mother." Xue Sui pulled her back and sat her on a stool beside the stove. He stared into her eyes and said, "I don't need fancy clothes or accessories."

"But, but the eldest daughter is going back to her hometown. If you go like this, you will be bullied again..."

"Don't worry about them." Xue Sui smiled gently, "From now on, I will be the only one bullying others, and no one can bully me."

"Sixth sister..."

"Don't be afraid." Xue Sui held her thin body in his arms. His palms felt all bones. He couldn't help but feel sad. "Mom, I'm here. I'm back. Don't be afraid."

Xue Ji could no longer suppress her grief.

Tears came out before sound.

"Sixth sister..."

She remembered that winter day, her sixth sister, who was about five years old, got a pine nut candy from somewhere and came to her happily.

The little child was born thin, with skin and bones all around, and his eyes were exceptionally big and bright.

She called "Mom" softly, and stood on tiptoe to stuff the pine nut candy into her mouth.

Xue Ji was about to agree subconsciously, but when she saw the maid from the eldest lady's room coming over, she was so frightened that she didn't know what to do.

"Don't call me mother, I'm not your mother. Go away, hide quickly, I'm not your mother..."

Sixth sister stood in the cold wind and snow holding pine nut candy, staring at her blankly without crying, but her little look broke her heart.

From then on, she never called her mother again.
-
All the girls have arrived at Shou'an Courtyard.

Xue Yuechen asked the nanny to distribute the gifts he brought back.

From the old lady, the first lady, the third lady, to the sisters in each room, everyone had something. Brocades, silks, rouge and powder, gold ornaments, jade, writing brushes, ink, paper and inkstone were all spread out one by one. At a glance, one could see the wealth of Prince Duan's mansion.

The eldest girl is dignified and beautiful, and she is the most outstanding in appearance among the Xue sisters.

Marry the best one too.

The reason why Imperial Concubine Xiao picked her from among all the ladies in the boudoir was not only because of the connection between the previous dynasty and the harem, but also because of Xue Yuechen's good reputation.

The eldest lady looked at this and couldn't help feeling proud.

"Why are you being so picky? Everything your elder sister brought back was good stuff. You are so short-sighted that you only care about those dead things. You didn't even think about your elder sister's rare visit to her parents' home and spent more time talking to her..."

Xue Yuechen smiled lightly, "Mother asked them to do something. My sisters are still young and are just curious about the new things in the palace."

All the sisters laughed together, "Big sister is the best." Xue Yuechen listened to her younger sisters' flattery and smiled without saying a word.

Only at this time can the loneliness of the Duan prince's wife and the lack of love between husband and wife be made up.

As they were laughing and joking, a maid came in to report.

"The Sixth Miss is here."

The sisters exchanged glances and stopped laughing.

A woman walked in gracefully and bowed.

"Meet the princess, the old lady, the first lady, the third lady..."

Xue Yuechen looked at her in surprise, not daring to recognize her.

In the eyes before him, there was no desire or pleading from childhood, but instead an unfamiliar calmness, the calmness that only those in a higher position could have.

"Who is this……"

Xue Sui looked at the peerless beauty in front of him without moving his eyebrows.

Xue Yuechen is twenty-five years old now, and her appearance is more noble than when she was a girl in the Xue Mansion.

It's a pity that the graceful and beautiful girl from Shangjing lost some of her charm after getting married. Although she was still beautiful in gorgeous clothes, she couldn't hide her haggard face.

Mrs. Fu had a disdainful smile on her face and refused to greet her.

The women in the room looked at this scene without responding or paying any attention. They just chatted and laughed among themselves, leaving Xue Sui aside, as if she didn't exist.

Xue Sui smiled slightly and stood quietly watching.

The long wait is a test of patience and also a test of competition.

Seeing that she was neither humble nor arrogant, Old Madam Cui felt a little sad, and then she said to Xue Yuechen happily:
"This is your sixth sister. You sisters haven't seen each other for ten years. No wonder you didn't recognize her. Not to mention you, I was also scared when I first saw her. The sixth girl has been missing for so many years, but she has grown so well..."

What Mrs. Cui said was true.

That day, Xue Sui came to pay his respects to her, and she broke down unexpectedly.

Even if others didn't tell her, she knew what the Old Mausoleum Swamp was.

Wandering in that dirty place for ten years, without any education, without anyone to educate him, and unable to read a single word, what's the difference between him and a wild child?

Even if she was born with a good appearance, how good could her manners be? She had originally prepared herself to turn a blind eye to it... Unexpectedly, her words and actions were very decent, and she was a little distant to others, but there was nothing wrong with her.

Xue Yuechen quickly calmed down and started laughing.

"It's really the sixth sister? Girls change a lot when they grow up."

Xue Yueying also covered her mouth and laughed, "Big sister is also stunned? Our sixth sister is much more generous and decent than cousin Xiangsui from Aunt Zhang's family."

The Aunt Zhang she was talking about was a poor relative who often came to the Xue Mansion to beg for money.

That cousin Xiangsui was also a rude and impolite country girl.

When the girls heard this, they all laughed.

Ninth Miss Xue Yue'e asked, "But what about that cousin Xiang Sui who doesn't like to bathe and has a bad body odor?"

The eighth girl Xue Yueman was also quick to speak, "She also wanted my ling ling incense, saying that ling ling smelled the same as the camphor tree in their village. She also secretly applied my rouge, her skin became rough and dark, and she painted a big clown face, just like a clown on the stage."

The girls talked one after another, not caring at all about how Xue Sui felt...

Xue Sui pursed his lips slightly, as if smiling.

She was wearing a straw hat and a cloth skirt, and should have looked very embarrassed, but at this moment she was standing under the scrutiny and ridicule of many sisters, but she remained calm and proud like a lone wolf that no one could bring down.

Xue Yuechen felt subconsciously uncomfortable.

A person who should have begged humbly and relied on her protection to survive can now look her in the face.

She felt uncomfortable, but had a decent smile on her face.

"Shut up, you're just talking nonsense. Sixth sister just came back and you're making so much noise, aren't you ashamed? Why don't you invite Sixth sister to take a seat so that the sisters can get closer? Once you all get married, it will be difficult to get together again..."

When it comes to getting married, the girls all become shy.

The eldest master Xue Qingzhi had only two sons, one legitimate and one illegitimate, but his daughter gave birth to six.

One is the length, one is the second, one is the fourth, one is the sixth, one is the eighth, and the smallest is the ninth.

The two daughters of Xue Qinglian, the second wife, are both married and no longer in the mansion.

The remaining one is the youngest daughter of the third wife Xue Qingxiu and Madam Qian, the tenth lady Xue Yuezhen, who is only seven years old and not yet of marriageable age.

The eighth and ninth girls both looked to the eldest lady to find a good husband, and they dared not damage their boudoir manners. As soon as Xue Yuechen opened her mouth, she shut up obediently.

Xue Yueying is different.

Her marriage to Gu Jie was delayed for several years, and everyone in the capital knew about it.

It was no secret that the Marquis of Jingyuan's Mansion had initially come to discuss marriage with the Xue family, and the person being discussed was Xue Liu.

If there are too many lice, they won't bite. She glanced at her sisters in the room and started laughing.

"When elder sister said this, I remembered what Jiao Erjia said. There is a custom in their countryside that unmarried sisters should embroider a pair of mandarin ducks on their wedding quilts, so that they will surely live happily together in the future..."

After saying this, he glanced at Xue Sui.

"I would also like to ask Sixth Sister to embroider a pair for me, wishing me and Gu Lang love each other and live together forever. I wonder if Sixth Sister is willing to do so?"

　Xue Sui: There are so many people in the room, it’s so noisy!

　　Xiao Zhao: Kill him?

　　Xue Sui: ...

　　
　
(End of this chapter)