Chapter 95 The father-in-law loves his daughter-in-law deeply

After finishing the meal, Xie Lan originally wanted to go back to his own yard, but Xie Changting kept him to talk.

After seeing the third couple and their children leave, and the irrelevant people also sent away, Xie Changting spoke.

“Lan girl, have you carefully read the books I sent you a few days ago? If not, you should stop going out recently and stay in the mansion to study hard.

If you want to study at Baihe Academy, you must first pass their admissions examination. If you fail, you cannot enter.”

Xie Lan paused while drinking her tea. She got a headache when talking about studying, which was not as fun as drawing talismans.

Also, during those days at Sanqing Mountain when I was forced to study by my second senior brother, I felt that the tea in my hand no longer smelled fragrant.

Xie Lan didn’t want to go to the academy to study at all, but when he thought about his own life, he sighed.

“Don’t worry, Dad. I’ve read it carefully and I think passing the test won’t be a problem.”

Tiechui thought of the few books thrown in the corner and covered with dust, raised his eyes to glance at the girl who was lying seriously, twitched his lips, and lowered his eyes again.

Xie Changting didn’t quite believe what Xie Lan said, “Have you really read it carefully? I heard that you’ve been running around a lot recently, don’t be perfunctory to your father.

Although the female admissions test is not difficult, if you are not serious and do poorly on the test, the academy will not admit you.”

“Don’t worry, Dad. I have a good memory. Even if I don’t study hard every day, I have memorized everything I need to remember.”

“That’s good. I’ll clear all the channels in a few days and I’ll probably be able to get the assessment sticker from White Crane Academy.”

Liu, who was listening quietly at the side, endured it again and again, “Husband, to study at the White Crane Academy, in addition to the assessment, you have to pay three thousand taels. You know the current situation in the mansion, where can we get such a large sum of money.”

Xie Changting frowned slightly, “Shouldn’t the income from the farm be handed over tomorrow?”

Liu was already upset because she couldn’t send Xie Ying to one of the four academies and had to go to Shigu Academy. Now Xie Changting was trying so hard to send Xie Lan to Baihe Academy, so she was naturally unhappy.

Her usually gentle voice became shrill. “My husband, do you think that our two small farms produce gold and silver? You are not in charge of the family, so you don’t know the difficulties. The two farms together only produce a few hundred taels a year at most.

Let’s not talk about whether it’s enough or not. If you give it all to Lan girl to study, what will happen to the family’s food? Are you going to let everyone starve?”

Xie Changting was scolded by Liu, and his face darkened. “If it really doesn’t work, you can pick a few calligraphy and paintings and porcelain from the public house, and I will sell them outside, and we can always get enough.”

Liu was so angry that she clenched the handkerchief tightly with both hands. She was determined and would rather her whole family eat coarse food than not send that little bitch to Baihe Academy.

Seeing that Liu was about to get angry, Xie Ying hurriedly tugged at her sleeve and gently shook her head.

Liu glared at her daughter as if she was disappointed in her daughter. She was so angry that she didn’t even bother to greet the old lady and just walked away with a wave of her sleeves.

The suppressed anger in Xie Changting’s eyes flashed away.

The old lady pursed her lips and kept silent. She didn’t want that damn girl to go to the academy to study, but she knew that no one could stop Xie Changting.

Feeling unhappy, he made the excuse of feeling unwell and went back to rest.

Xie Changting didn’t say anything. After she left, he said to Xie Lan in a gentle voice, “Don’t blame your mother. The family is not well off, and it’s not easy for her to be the head of the family. It’s inevitable that she is a little angry.”

Xie Lan had a calm expression, neither moved nor feeling guilty, “Don’t worry, father. I understand.”

Xie Lan knew exactly what Xie Changting was thinking. The reason why he took the trouble to send her to the academy was not because he loved her, but because he wanted to wait for her to make money in the academy so that he could use her to curry favor with the rich and powerful and exchange her for benefits.

Xie Lan didn’t expect that just after she returned for a quarter of an hour, the old lady sent a maid to pass on a message, “Miss, there is a distinguished guest in the mansion. The old lady wants you to go over and meet him.”

Xie Lan glanced at the maid calmly and said, “No, tell grandma that I’m tired and need to rest.” The maid was stunned. The eldest girl was in good spirits and it was clearly an excuse.

But she did not dare to refute, and said stubbornly, “The old lady said that not only you, but also the second young lady and the others will go to meet the distinguished guest.”

Xie Lan frowned slightly, “Who is coming? Is he of the most noble status? Does that mean everyone must go and meet him?”

“Replying to the eldest lady, I heard that the people who came were the wife of the Marquis of Yongchang and her daughter-in-law.”

“Our family actually has a relationship with the Yongchang Marquis’ Mansion? Did you hear it wrong?” It was no wonder that Xie Lan was surprised. Although the Xie family had three officials, they were nothing in Kyoto and were not qualified to associate with a family like the Yongchang Marquis’ Mansion.

“I heard it right. It is indeed the wife of Marquis Yongchang and her daughter-in-law who came.” Now all the maids and old women in the Xie residence knew that Xie Lan was not someone to be trifled with. The maid paused and decided to play nice.

“A few days ago, I heard from Madam Zhao that when the Second Madam went to the Great Compassion Temple to burn incense, she happened to meet the old lady of the Marquis of Yongchang on the way. Because her carriage broke down, the Second Madam gave her a ride.

The reason why the wife of the Marquis of Yongchang and her daughter-in-law came here this time was because the old lady of the Marquis of Yongchang asked them to come and give a thank you gift.”

It turned out to be the case.

Since he was free anyway, Xie Lan planned to go over and take a look. What if there was some big news? It would be a pity to miss it.

“Let’s go.” Xie Lan put down the teacup and walked away.

Seeing the maid still standing there in a daze, Xie Lan was puzzled, “But what else?”

“Miss, the old lady has specifically instructed that all the girls should dress up carefully before meeting the distinguished guests, so as not to lose etiquette and let outsiders laugh at the Xie family for having no rules.”

Xie Lan raised an eyebrow. The old lady specifically told them to dress up carefully. Wasn’t it because she was afraid that they would be rude, but because she wanted them to perform well in front of the wife of Marquis Yongchang?
In addition to the Yongchang Marquis’s eldest son who was married, there was also a second son and two illegitimate sons who were unmarried. If they caught the eye of the Yongchang Marquis’s wife and were chosen as daughters-in-law, wouldn’t the Xie family be able to climb up to the power of the Yongchang Marquis’s mansion?

Xie Lan didn’t plan to get married, so naturally she didn’t want to dress up carefully. Anyway, the clothes she was wearing were enough to meet guests, so there was no need to change them.

The maid tried to persuade her a few times, but seeing that she wouldn’t listen, she had to give up.

In Mingsong Hall, the old lady and the graceful and elegant wife of Marquis Yongchang sat side by side at the top.

Sitting next to the two of them was the wife of the Prince of Yongchang.

Liu and her two sisters-in-law sat at the lower table with several girls who were dressed up carefully.

When the old lady saw Xie Lan, she waved at her with a smile on her face, “Girl Lan, this is the wife of the Marquis of Yongchang and the wife of the Crown Prince. Come over and greet them.”

Xie Lan had no intention of getting married and had no intention of pleasing the wife of the Marquis of Yongchang.

He glanced casually, then walked up to the front and bowed properly to greet him.

The wife of the Marquis of Yongchang glanced at her indifferently, then turned her head to the old lady and said, “I heard that your eldest granddaughter grew up in a Taoist temple. I didn’t expect that she had such a good appearance.”

Seeing the old lady’s forbearing expression and not daring to offend, the wife of the Yongchang Marquis’s son flashed contempt in her eyes.

“Ms. Xie is indeed pretty, not much worse than the top courtesan in Yihong Courtyard. My nephew in my mother’s family loves beauties the most. Although he often sleeps with prostitutes, men are all romantic.

If Miss Xie marries my nephew, he will surely be able to come back home.”

“You are too kind, Madam. How can I compare to your charm and beauty? Not only is the Yongchang Marquis unable to live without you, but even your father-in-law, the Yongchang Marquis, loves you deeply. I am ashamed of myself.”

After Xie Lan finished speaking, Mingsong Hall fell into deathly silence.

(End of this chapter)