Wife Doting Addiction：My Abducted Tsundere Husband

At this time, Qiao An also came out of his room, went into the hall, and asked, “How was it, did she suspect anything?”

“No, our Miss pretended to be ill and fooled her!” Nanny replied, “But I’m afraid pulling off the marriage will be harder!”

Su Jiu put her legs down and thought for a moment. She suddenly smiled and asked, “Does this Second Mistress also have a son?”

Nanny nodded. “Yes, the Second Young Master of the Ji Family. He is very clever, and is a successful candidate in the provincial level imperial examinations at just 19 years old.”

The young lady of Ji Manor was a concubine in the palace, and it seemed that the Second Young Master was also going to be an official.

“That’s it! Don’t worry, knowing that Miss Su is seriously ill, the Second Mistress may also find a way to make this marriage happen!” Su Jiu said a smile at the corner of her lips.

“What, why?” Hu Dapao asked.

“Ah.” Qiao An and Nanny nodded after a moment of contemplation.

“What? What is it?” Hu Dapao questioned.

Su Jiu raised her eyebrows but smiled without saying a word.

—

In the carriage back to Ji Manor, the Second Mistress leaned on the soft pillow and kept her eyes closed.

Yuan’er massaged her shoulders gently and waited on her.

“Yuan’er, what do you think of this Miss Su?”

The Second Mistress did not open her eyes and pursed her lips.

Yuan’er knelt on the carriage as she gently kneaded Second Mistress’s shoulders. A touch of disdain flashed across her features as she smirked. “She can’t even lift her head up like some sort of unpresentable country bumpkin. She’s not worthy of our Eldest Young Master!”

“The Su Family is also a big family, Mrs. Su used to be a famous beauty in Shengjing. How can she teach such a daughter who is so weak?” The Second Mistress frowned and then chuckled darkly. “She looks like a sickly person. I don’t know if she can even live long enough to be married to Ji Yuxian!”

“Mistress, are you really letting her marry into the Ji Manor?” Yuan’er asked in a low voice.

Second Mistress’s eyes narrowed, a meaningful smile at the corners of her lips. “The marriage was set by the Eldest Mistress at the time. Now that Miss Su has arrived at Shengjing, how can she not marry?”

“But she looks like that… She really doesn’t deserve to be the mistress of Ji Manor.”

“Why doesn’t she deserve it? She is beautiful, and her appearance is no worse than that of Lan Zhihui!” the Second Mistress commented calmly.

“Yes!” Yuan’er nodded and whispered in Second Mistress’s ear. “I heard that Official Lyu intended to have a marriage alliance with our Ji Manor, and wanted to marry their Third Young Lady to our Eldest Young Master. In this way, we can easily refuse them!”

The Emperor had three sons, First Prince, Prince Yu; Second Prince, Prince Zhao; and Third Prince, Prince Rui.

The Crown Prince had not been determined yet. The royal court was heavily divided into many clans, and the nobility and martial officials had their own candidates. It was natural to have conflicts and in-fighting.

Prince Yu married the Eldest Young Lady of the Official’s Manor. Official Lyu, of course, supported Prince Yu. Now, he wants to marry his daughter to Ji Manor, which seems to be trying to alliance the Ji Family for Prince Yu.

Although Ji Manor had no special right to participate in politics, it held the economic lifeline of Daliang and played an important role in Shengjing.

To win the power struggle, one also needed money.

Yuan’er has been with Second Mistress for five years. How could she not understand her mistress’s plans? She will certainly not let Ji Yuxian marry the daughter of Official’s Manor. Now, there was Miss Su who was very sick and weak, and utterly unpresentable. She was exactly the best candidate for Second Mistress.

The Second Mistress nodded with a slight smile on her face. “This trip was not in vain!”

—

When she returned to the Ji Manor, Second Mistress got out of the carriage and asked, “Is Eldest Young Master in?”

“Eldest Young Master did not go out today, he is in his chambers!” Housekeeper Song replied.

The Second Mistress nodded and headed to Cloud Pavilion.

Cloud Pavilion was the largest courtyard of the whole Ji Manor. The courtyard had a beautiful pool with picturesque scenery of hills and platforms. There was even an underground spring. Even in the late autumn cold weather the yard was still warm as spring, prosperous and blooming.

The attic porch in the courtyard was hidden between green pine and emerald willows, elegant and majestic, showing the style and luxury of Shengjing’s richest family.

Along the corridor, there was a faint sound of instruments playing. When Housekeeper Yu came, he bowed to the Second Mistress. “Eldest Young Master is in the Rainflower Hall, let me bring you there!”

“Sorry for the trouble, Housekeeper Yu!” The Second Mistress pronounced with a smile.

Housekeeper Yu had been in the Ji Manor for 40 years and had served three generations of the Ji Family. He had incredible authority and was akin to half a master. Thus, even the Second Mistress had shown immense respect for him.

As they went to the Rainflower Hall, the sound of instruments playing and the laughter of women grew clearer.

When he reached the door, Housekeeper Yu pushed the door open and bowed his head. “Eldest Young Master, Second Mistress is here.”

In the flower hall covered with a snow-white velvet carpet, Ji Yuxian lounged lazily on a bed, donned in a dark red robe. His ink black hair spread behind him, his lips red. His robes were secured loosely, as a hint of drunkenness flashed in his eyes. When he lifted his head, he was a sight to behold.

Beside the bed, Xie Ying, one of Ji Yuxian’s concubines, knelt from her seat on the ground. She was peeling grapes and placing the fruit gently in his mouth.

Ji Yuxian’s thin lips bit into the grape teasingly as he said, “Let Second Mistress in!”

As soon as his voice fell, the woman playing the zither stopped, bowed to Ji Yuxian and retreated.

Xie Ying also concealed the coquettish smile on her face and got up sensibly. “I’ll take my leave first!”

“Mmhmm!” Ji Yuxian replied disinterestedly.

Xie Ying withdrew from the side door, and Second Mistress just walked in, smiling kindly. “Yuxian!”

“Second Mistress!” Ji Yuxian sat upright and changed the wine in his hands to tea. “Is there something you wanted to see me about?” he asked lazily.

“It’s nothing important, really,” The Second Mistress began. “It’s just that we live under the same roof, but I haven’t seen you for many days and miss you. I know you haven’t gone out today, so I came to take a look!” she said with a smile.

The attendant offered tea and the Second Mistress took a sip and laughed. “I went out today to see Miss Su. She really resembles her mother and is a beauty. It’s just that Miss Su came all the way from Fuyang and caught a cold. She didn’t look very well. Yuxian, if you have time, do go and visit her.”

Ji Yuxian pursed his lips and smiled. “With the Second Mistress to take care of it, everything will be fine. I should avoid suspicion!”

“The marriage has not yet been decided, there aren’t so many taboos, and to visit is also reasonable,” Second Mistress said in a gentle tone, before asking, “Now that Miss Su has entered Shengjing, will you decide whether to marry her or not?”

Ji Yuxian looked up at the Second Mistress, smiling cryptically. “Does Second Mistress think I should marry her?”

The Second Mistress seemed to ponder for a moment before saying, “Speaking of it, this marriage was decided by her Eldest Mistress. Although the Su Family later went back on the marriage, at that time we were in chaos. Thus, we were not in the mood to respond to the Su Family. The matter of rejecting the marriage was not concluded properly.

“Eldest Mistress also acknowledged the marriage when she was alive. Now that Sister is gone, we should not disobey her!”

Ji Yuxian smiled. “In that case, does the Second Mistress want me to marry Miss Su?”