Chapter Nineteen: The Eccentric of the Prime Minister’s Residence

Just as Lady Liu had left the Marquis’s residence with Chu Xi, Chu Yue immediately received the news.

Spring Bud stared at her face, deep in thought, and asked, “Second Miss, the Madam only took the eldest miss to the Prime Minister’s residence briefly. Why are you so nervous?”

Chu Yue turned her head and cursed, “Fool, do you even know what kind of place the Prime Minister’s residence is?”

Spring Bud lowered her gaze, pondering for a moment, then suddenly looked up in shock. “Could it be that the Marquis and Madam intend to establish a marriage alliance with the Prime Minister’s family? That’s why they took the eldest miss there.”

Chu Yue nodded, “Exactly. This way, that monster in the Prime Minister’s household can finally get married, and Father and Mother can use it as leverage to bring our elder brother back to the capital.”

Spring Bud shivered at these words. “I’ve always heard that the eldest son of the Prime Minister’s family behaves bizarrely and eccentrically. The daughter of the Grand Tutor Wang was betrothed to him since childhood, but died of fright less than three days after the wedding. The next two brides didn’t even survive a month. Since then, no one dares to marry their daughters into that house.”

Chu Yue shook her head. “It’s worse than that. I’ve heard that afterward, some people, driven by greed for wealth and status, risked their lives to form a marriage alliance, but they were first invited into the residence to be ‘examined’ by the eldest son—and never returned.”

Spring Bud felt goosebumps all over and shuddered again. “So this time, Madam taking the eldest miss to the Prime Minister’s residence is also for that ‘examination’? That means danger, and they might never come back.” She looked at Chu Xi with sympathy.

Chu Yue’s expression hardened with resolve. “Let’s go check on Wang Mu in Chu Xi’s courtyard.”

“Yes,” Spring Bud agreed and quickly turned to leave.

She could not allow their parents to trade Chu Xi for Chu Yong’s return to the capital. If that happened, she feared she would leave the Marquis’s residence with nothing but her dowry.

At the same time, Qian Mengyun also learned the news.

Xiaoyu smiled happily. “Miss, it seems Chu Xi is about to be offered as a gift to the Prime Minister’s residence by the Marquis and Madam again.”

“No, it’s the condition for Chu Yong’s return,” Qian Mengyun said. She had a deep bond with Chu Yong since childhood. They had been like siblings, but now she regarded him as the best option to maintain her luxurious life in the Marquis’s residence.

If she could marry Mo Zixiao as she wished, that would be perfect. But if not, marrying Chu Yong would be her best fallback plan.

In that case, she would be the legitimate wife of the Marquis’s eldest son, the future mistress of the household, no longer a pretender with no blood ties to the family. This would silence the endless gossip, and even that hateful Chu Yue would have to respectfully call her sister-in-law.

Either way, she could never return to the small courtyard of the Qian family.

Thinking of this, Qian Mengyun warned Xiaoyu sharply, “Chu Yue seems to be siding with Chu Xi now. Whether true or not, we must keep an eye on her. If she finds out about this and tells Mo Zixiao, it would be disastrous.”

Xiaoyu immediately understood. “Miss, I’ll go gather information right away.”

Wang Mu watched as noon approached, but there was still no sign of Chu Xi or the colorful screen returning, and anxiety began to creep in.

Spring Bud lightly knocked twice on the courtyard door. Wang Mu, thinking they had returned, hurried over and opened it in a single stride.

Spring Bud knew Chu Xi was not there, but still smiled and asked, “Is the eldest miss home? Our Second Miss asked me to invite her to have tea if she’s free.”

Wang Mu’s face fell with disappointment when she saw Spring Bud. “Oh, our miss isn’t here. She went out with Madam and hasn’t returned yet.”

“Oh, it’s just you?”

Wang Mu nodded. “Yes.”

Spring Bud smiled. “Well then, I’ll head back first.” Saying so, she turned and walked away.

But after only a few steps, she unexpectedly ran into Xiaoyu, who was coming this way. The two froze in surprise upon seeing each other.