Chapter 162 - Chapter 162: The Iron Lady of the Xiao Family
Chapter 162: The Iron Lady of the Xiao Family
Translator: 549690339
Xie Xian had the intention to cover up for Xiao Baoxin so as to avoid damaging Lady Xiao’s reputation. Originally, he did not intend to go any further with her, so everything should stop there. It was best if the wind passed without leaving a trace.
No one had expected that he would be blocked by someone. Moreover, it was the big-mouthed Pan Shuo recognized by the imperial court. Even if one wanted to block his mouth, they would need something so big.
Once he knew, the Empress Dowager would know. Once the Empress Dowager knew, the entire harem would know. Once the entire harem knew, no one in the entire aristocratic circle would be spared. One could imagine that it was as if a spring breeze had suddenly come, and thousands of words were floating all over the city.
Xie Xian could only trouble himself to ask Pan Shuo to keep it a secret. Pan Shuo was ashamed that he only invited Yang Shao to drink and left Xie Xian behind. With Xie Xian’s request, he nodded his head like pounding garlic.
“Don’t worry, Lady Xiao’s reputation isn’t good right now. If word gets out that you two met in private, I’m afraid that someone would dare to scold her in public. A friend’s wife, she couldn’t play and couldn’t let others play!”
Pan Shuo said it out of loyalty, but when he heard Xie Xian and Yang Shao’s words, it was clearly difficult to explain.
Was this scolding or scolding?
Yang Shao poured a cup of wine into his mouth and comforted Xie Xian,”With me watching, I won’t let him tell anyone. Don’t worry.”
How could Xie Xian be at ease? However, at this point, the best that could be done was this.
“Seriously, you guys…” Pan Shuo’s face was flushed red. He was obviously drunk. “From now on, you will be my son-in-law.”
Xie Xian was speechless. He wouldn’t.
Yang Shao was speechless. He didn’t want to.
“Drink your wine.” Yang Shao poured another cup of wine for him. Even drinking wouldn’t shut your mouth.
Xie Xian was not good at drinking. When the three of them went out, it was mostly Yang Shao and Pan Shuo who drank. He accompanied them, especially this time, they had to leave Jiankang the next day. In fact, there were many chores, but he and Lady Xiao were blocked. He continued to clean up.
Thus, after sitting down and chatting for a while, he got up and left. Although Pan Shuo was drunk, he knew that business was important, so he didn’t keep him. He and Yang Shao sent Xie Xian out of the room.
“I wish Brother Xie a triumphant victory. I… I’m also waiting for you.” Pan Shuo shouted loudly.
No matter how Xie Xian listened, he did not want to twist it. What did ‘also’ mean? Did he need to wait?!
So he cupped his hands and took his leave.
“We’ll talk when we get back.”
.. At dawn the next day, the city gates opened. Xie Xian brought two oxcarts filled with personal supplies and two generals he personally appointed out of the city to meet up with the twenty thousand soldiers waiting outside the city. They headed towards Kuaiji Prefecture in a grandiose manner.
Less than two days after Xie Xian was sent away, Xiao Baoshan’s appointment came. Emperor Yu Heng appointed him as Jingling’s prefect, a fifth-grade official position.
It was the same as the assistant minister of the Yellow Family who had been by the emperor’s side. However, although the prefect of a county was an external official, he was in charge of the highest administrative officer of the county. Other than governing the people, selecting talents, deciding lawsuits, and inspecting female officials, he could also appoint and dismiss his subordinate officials. It could be said to be a faction with real power.
Moreover, it was easy to be promoted if he made achievements.
Xiao Baoshan had been silent for two to three months, and with the help of Sikong Xiao, he was able to rise again. Finally, he let out a long sigh of relief. He felt that the sky was blue and the water was clear, and even the air was much fresher. Xiao Baoshan and his wife were so happy that they gritted their teeth every day, and even their teeth were blackened by the wind.
No matter what, it was a happy occasion. Many people came to congratulate him. Of course, most of them did so because of Sikong Xiao.
At this time, Lady Yuan also sent a congratulatory gift and invited Lady Xie to a small gathering. Along with her was Minister Qi’s wife, Lady Xie, who was also Lady Yuan’s aunt.
The Qixie Clan had done this for the Yuan Clan, and later, they personally went to the Yuan and Xiao Clans to withdraw their testimony.
However, Lady Yuan didn’t have that many taboos. She didn’t even pick on Lady Xiao, who had a bad reputation in Jiankang City. She covered her ears and eyes for her son and proposed the marriage. Did she care if Baoshan had proposed and rejected the marriage before?
The reason for this small gathering was to confirm Sikong Xiao’s intentions. As long as the Xiao family nodded, this matter was basically settled.
The next day, Lady Yuan found a matchmaker and personally went to the Xiao Manor to propose marriage. The speed was not slow.
Sikong Xiao was happy to see this happen and immediately agreed to the marriage.
By right, it should have been Master Xie who came to pay a visit. However, Xie Shizhong had died early, and it was inconvenient for Lady Yuan, who was a woman, to show up. Xie Xian, on the other hand, was a hypocrite and did not want to drag others down to marry Xiao Baoxin. Therefore, Lady Yuan wanted to act first and report later to settle the marriage first. It was impossible for Xie Xian to break off the marriage when he returned to Jiankang.
The marriage was stuck at Nacai, but because both parties had communicated and the Qixie family was the guardian, the marriage was basically in place.
However, there was no such thing as an impenetrable wall in the world. When the third master of the Xie family heard that his eldest sister-in-law was going to marry his nephew to the eldest daughter of the Xiao family, he exploded at that time and directly made a fuss in front of the old madam. He even wanted to ask his eldest sister-in-law about the crime and punish her.
“Marriage is improper, let alone a girl like the eldest daughter of the Xiao family. Her reputation is extremely bad and her reputation is also bad. Ah Niang must discipline him well. Think about our Xie family, generations of high officials, the head of the aristocratic family, how can we marry a common family?”
Veins popped out on Chancellor Xie’s head as he gritted his teeth.
“Nephew, it’s fine if you mess around, but since you’ve offended an aristocratic family, there’s always a chance to ease things up. But how could sister-in-law decide on the Xiao family in private? Did you inform Mother? Maybe the clan knows? Xuan Hui was the head of the Xie family, how could his marriage be trifled with?”
“It’s already ridiculous enough that you’re already twenty years old and not getting married. Why is it even more ridiculous now that you’ve decided on a marriage that doesn’t match?”
“The niece of the Wang family is a good one. I told Mother about it, but Xuanhui rejected her. I thought he was looking for a better one, but who knew that he would choose the eldest daughter of the Xiao family, regardless of family background or character…”
If Lizhi wasn’t around, he would have asked his sister-in-law if her brain had been kicked by a cow when she was in the car.
“Mother, we can’t sit by and do nothing about this matter. It concerns the reputation of my Xie family, and we can’t let sister-in-law ruin it like this! How should the various aristocratic families view our Xie family? How can our son raise his head in court?”
When Old Madam Xie heard this, she didn’t say anything for a long time. Her wrinkled face was terrifyingly dark. Clearly, she didn’t know about this matter, and it was also her first time hearing about it.
“Go and invite First Madam over.”
At this time, no one in the room dared to say anything more. The old woman accepted the order and hurried away. In less than half a cup of tea’s time, Madam Yuan arrived. She was dressed in a green dress and had a cold expression.
“I heard San Lang say that you’ve set Xuanhui as the eldest daughter of the Xiao family?”Old Madam Xie’s voice was low and deep, and it was hard to tell whether she was happy or angry.
Madam Yuan looked at the angry Third Master Xiao and said respectfully,”Yes, I asked Aunt to cook for me.”
“Which aunt? Be the Nineteenth Sister of Baoshan for the Yuan Family?” Xie San Ye sneered, his face twitching. “First, it was the Yuan family’s patriarch, then it was the sister-in-law. Your Yuan family really has the same vision.. The groom of the flowing water, the iron lady of the Xiao family?”