The Lady's Sickly Husband

Chapter 213: Making Invitations

Translator: Antonia

Leaving Yuji Restaurant, Su Jinyu directly returned home and entered the study of Master Su.

Hearing the news brought back by Su Jinyu, Master Su sneered, “There is indeed someone behind the scene! How bold this man is to set the Ning family against the imperial clan and try to get us Su family involved! …”

In rage, he sighed, “… Mo Tianfang the great hero should die under such a serial schemes. What a shame!”

Then, Master Su changed the subject, “That Lu Zhengyang is merely a son of a businessman. Even if he makes successes over these years, I don’t think he’s worth mentioning, but why did Ning Shaoqing let him be a part of such an important matter?”

“I’m also a little confused, but Lu Zhengyang does look exceptional judging from his manners. He doesn’t appear to be an ordinary businessman, anything but an ordinary folk.”

“Well, surely he has something different to gain Ning Shaoqing’s trust. Just send people to pay attention to him.”

“Yes.”

“Where is Qi? He didn’t come back with you? …”

*

Ning Shaoqing was taking Mo Qianxue on an exciting horse ride, while Saber ordered the driver to send nanny Mo and the several servant girls back to the Founder mansion and he himself drove Ning Shaoqing’s carriage directly back to the Ning mansion.

In this way, it appeared that Ning Shaoqing only hung around out of the city and soon sent lady Mo back to the Founder mansion before he returning to the Ning mansion.

After all, even if they had already been engaged, it was proper for them to spend time too long alone with each other. Besides, if the news was known by others, it wasn’t safe for them to hang out alone.

After nanny Mo arrived home, she had been waiting restlessly in the yard for Mo Qianxue.

The sky was already dark. No matter how reluctant the couple was, they had to go back to the city.

He hugged her harder and carried her onto the horseback.

Waving the whip, he urged the horse to gallop towards the city. Once they entered the city, Ning Shaoqing’s soft expression was replaced by cold vigilance. He still held Mo Qianxue, not entering the Founder mansion through the main gate but using lightness kungfu to take Mo Qianxue directly to her Snow courtyard, not alerting anyone. Then, he left without looking back, because he feared he wouldn’t be able to leave her on one more glance…

Upon seeing Mo Qianxue, nanny Mo hurriedly came up to report that since they came back in the afternoon, the three young lords had requested to see her to discuss something important. They had come twice and been refused in the excuse that lady was too tired and still asleep.

Mo Qianxue frowned. There were things that couldn’t be avoid. If so, just deal with them quick.

Ordering Chuyi to carry water for wash, Mo Qianxue asked nanny Mo to notice the three men that she was up and let them wait in the main hall.

In less than a quarter, Mo Qianxue, refreshed up, walked out and appeared in the main hall in the outer courtyard.

In fact, the inner courtyard of the Founder mansion was huge with many courtyards, but most of them were not occupied. There were also flower halls to receive male guests, but Mo Qianxue just didn’t want them to get in.

Even though Mo Zitang, Mo Zihua and Mo Ziye were her elder cousins, Mo Qianxue was a lady while they had no titles. Of course, they should stand up and bow to her.

Mo Qianxue nodded to greet back and sat down in the main chair. Mo Zitang went to the point directly in a clear voice, “In a dozen days, it’ll be your Puberty Rite. Considering your current identity, the Rite should certainly be grand. We’re wondering what female guests you’re going to invite so that we could help with sending invitations and other stuff.”

Mo Qianxue despised them, but Mo Zitang was the nicest one among them three. Besides, he wasn’t wrong. This matter should be put on the agenda.

Usually, mainly female guests would be invited to a lady’s Puberty Rite, but now her identity was already raised, so it was impossible to only invite some of her friends. Those prestigious important madams should also be invited over.

Certainly, some male guests would come along with the female ones. It was necessary to make a name list for the preparation.

How troublesome! It was just a birthday party.

She had a soul that had received modern education, so the Puberty Rite didn’t mean much to her. Mo Qianxue contemplated for a moment and tried to cancel it, “My mourning period for father hadn’t been a year yet, so it shouldn’t be held too grand. Just invite some relatives to watch the ceremony. There is no need to make it huge.”

Mo Zihua and Mo Ziye were anxious on hearing her reply, one saying, “That’s not right”, and the other saying, “You should be so sloppy, sister.”

The impolite words they used made Mo Qianxue’s face colder. Mo Zitang hurriedly explained, “Zihua and Ziye doesn’t mean that. Please don’t take them wrong, sister.

They mean the relationships in the capital are complicated. If the Zhang family is invited, then we must also invite the Li family; and if the Li family is invited, then the Wang family can’t be ignored… Even if sister doesn’t want to make it huge, the Rite can’t be canceled. No matter how many people we invite, as long as we don’t make anything red on that day, it wouldn’t be improper.”

Mo Qianxue picked up the teacup and leisurely blew the tea leaves, taking a sip.

Mo Zitang was right. Inviting people was an art. She understood that. In the future, she would be standing next to Ning Shaoqing and the wife diplomacy would begin from then on.

However, she believed, the Mo family had its own targets to build connections with through this ceremony.

Thinking it through, Mo Qianxue didn’t hesitate, “You’re right, then, eleventh young lord, please help me handle this matter and think up whom we should invite. Just make a name list for me. Then, I’ll decide and let the butler send out the invitations.”

No matter how she disliked them, they were in name her cousins who were standing in mourning for her father.

No matter how she disliked them, to outsiders, they were the only men in the Founder mansion. When male guests were here, they were the ones to receive and entertain them.

Moreover, it was merely a formality to let the Mo family work out the name list. In fact, Mo Qianxue wanted to figure out from the name list the Mo family’s intentions, including whom it was closed to and whom it most wanted to cuddle up with. The name list would definitely tell something.

She didn’t know much yet about the complicated relations between nobilities in the capital, but she would refer to Ning Shaoqing and her acquired mother as to whom she should invite and whom not.

As she called eleventh young lord, Mo Zitang’s eyes darkened. Ever since she came back, she never called him brother Tang again like before.

After they got her approval, Mo Zihua and Mo Ziye’s eyes were instantly lit up.

*

The first thing Ning Shaoqing did after returning home was to let hidden guards send a message to Shadow, ordering him to investigate on Yunyao from the very root.

Qianxue wasn’t a random talker. On the contrary, she had keen observation and a rigorous mind. When she suspected, there must be something wrong.

Even if she just thought too much, he was willing to make the effort for her so that she could rest assured.

Then, he handled with some office affairs until late at night.

Ning Shaoqing wasn’t sleepy at all. He remembered the scene where they cuddled together to watch the sunset, chanting alternately poems about beautiful sunset…

Thinking of it, Ning Shaoqing showed a smile and was suddenly in the mood. Curling up his lips, he paved the paper and picked up the pen, writing down: If you entered my deep mood of longing/ You would understand my suffering for yearning / Long yearning recalls long memories/ Short yearning has no end.

*

The drums showed it had past midnight, and the capital city was in sheer dark.

However, the imperial study in the palace was still bright. The Emperor was pulling an all-nighter to review the memorials, when the chief eunuch led a man in blue to walk in.

The man greeted by kneeling down, “I’m Lu Zhengyang, nice to meet you, Your Majesty.”

His straight back and firm eyes made him nothing like an ordinary folk who would tremble in fear when meeting with the Emperor.

Glancing up and down the kneeling man, the Emperor was a little surprised, put down the memorial in his hand and motioned with a smile, “Get up.”

Lu Zhengyang thanked the Emperor and stood up, “May I ask why do Your Majesty summon me over here because I’m just a folk?”

Most people would be too restless to know where to put their hands in front of the Emperor. They would wait for the Emperor to talk first and didn’t dare to pop the question first.

The chief eunuch was about to scold but swallowed it at the Emperor’s raising hand stopping him.

“You’re quite forward.” The Emperor smiled, not angry, and stood up to walk in a circle around him with interest, “Great. You do have some courage to deal with big events.”

The words were praising, but the Emperor became more vigilant.

“You’re flattering me, Your Majesty. I’m not worthy of your praise.” Lu Zhengyang bowed to show his respect, “I’m just a folk knowing little rules, so that I appear to be bold. Just now I only thought Your Majesty is a wise emperor that appears in the world once in a million years, so it must be something serious for Your Majesty to summon me over during the night. Hence, I was forward to ask the question. Please forgive me, Your Majesty.”

After checking the man, the Emperor went back to sit on his dragon chair, “Since you’re so forward, I won’t beat around the bush either.”

Lu Zhengyang lowered his head, not interrupting and waiting to hear the following.

The Emperor asked tentatively, “I heard you and master Ning are friends?” It was a question but contained obvious dissatisfaction.