A Foodie Transmigrated into the Palace

Chapter 1294 - 1292

Ni Manxue looked and just wanted to laugh.’Hmph! Zeze, Huihui, Mother finally has some relief!’

...

They went out for several days in a row.

Just as Xia Tingfeng’s face was about to turn as dark as the bottom of a pot, Xia Jingfeng finally appeared.

"Big brother, sister-in-law, I’m truly sorry to have kept you waiting for so many days!"

"I really couldn’t get away from things over there!"

Ni Manxue smiled.

"It’s alright! Your official duties are important!"

"We just took the opportunity to go out and have a look around, and compared to the Capital City, this place is more beautiful!"

Xia Tingfeng looked at him with a complex expression.

His eyes were mixed with ice and joy, showing a face that seemed to want to blame but couldn’t, while inwardly he was already complaining.

’You rascal, why did you come so late!’

The words that came out were:

"Your sister-in-law is right, we have really enjoyed ourselves these days!"

Regardless of being unreasonable or dishonest, he only wanted to survive. (On the self-cultivation of men who fear their wives!)

Ni Manxue was very satisfied inside, and her smile grew even wider.

"Yes! We were all very happy!"

"Oh right!"

"Why are you standing there, Jingfeng quickly have a seat!"

Xia Jingfeng was unclear about the situation.

Seeing the two of them smiling brightly, he felt relieved and found a place to sit down without thinking much.

The three chatted for a while, and the conversation shifted to the main topic.

Xia Jingfeng contemplated for a moment then began to speak slowly, word by word.

"Her name is Tang Xun, she is the fourth young lady of the Tang Family in Jinling. Two years ago, I met her at Hanshan Temple outside the city, and later saw her a few times on the street. Gradually, we became acquainted!"

"As for what happened afterwards... let’s not talk too much. In short, she is unmarried, and I am not married. I find her quite suitable!"

Xia Jingfeng’s expression was a bit uneasy, his cheeks slightly flushed, and his gaze continuously drifted everywhere.

Is he shy?

Ni Manxue was seeing this calm brother getting shy for the first time.

She pretended not to notice and laughed.

"What’s difficult about this?"

"Since she is a daughter from a reputable family, what’s difficult to say?"

"Tomorrow, I will send someone to inquire and arrange a tea or poetry gathering, invite Madam Tang over to ask her intentions!"

"You, a Prefectural Governor, with a fitting official position, no mother-in-law pressing you from above, and you are handsome, could they possibly disagree?"

Jiangnan’s prestigious families are only a few, and Ni Manxue was already well acquainted with them.

Furthermore, in recent years, the Emperor replaced many in Jiangnan, and those prestigious families have gradually declined.

Even if not declined, they’ve been significantly weakened, their family wealth isn’t what it used to be.

Now, there’s a Tang Family that popped up out of nowhere, clearly not some century-old clan.

Hence, Ni Manxue was so confident.

No matter who they are, could Xia Jingfeng be looked down upon?

He is the Empress’s own brother, the Crown Prince’s maternal uncle!

With this connection, he is well-suited to marry the daughter of a first or second rank official.

Let alone a Tang Family she had never heard of.

"Sister-in-law... this matter... is somewhat difficult!" Xia Jingfeng’s face was a bit troubled.

"What’s going on?"

Ni Manxue’s face grew more serious.

"Could it be that the Tang Family would refuse?"

Xia Jingfeng shook his head.

"Not refusing, rather... they’re too willing!"

"It’s just that the conditions they proposed are unacceptable!"

Ni Manxue pondered.

"Could it be that they’re asking for an exorbitant dowry?"

Xia Jingfeng shook his head again.

"No, not that either!"

Ni Manxue grew a bit anxious.

"So what is it? Jingfeng, quickly tell us!"

Born into a Generals Family, without a mother-in-law to dictate, Ni Manxue had been managing the household for so many years, becoming mature and efficient in her work, and she did not like being dragged down.

Seeing Xia Jingfeng hesitating, she was getting impatient.

Xia Tingfeng also found it puzzling.

"If it’s not this, nor that, what does the Tang Family want?"

Xia Jingfeng glanced at his brother and sister-in-law, finally saying with difficulty.

"They said, I could marry Tang Xun but she can’t be the main wife!"

"Their family has an eldest daughter who also wants to marry me. They want the eldest daughter to be the legitimate wife, with Tang Xun as a concubine!"

"To marry... marry them both at once, if not agree... then neither!"

Ni Manxue was stunned to the point her eyes felt like falling out.

"This..."

"This... there’s such a thing?"

She had lived for so long and had never heard of such a thing!

Marrying and taking two sisters at once, what’s this supposed to be?!

"Absurd, truly absurd!" Xia Tingfeng glared angrily.

"What is going on with the Tang Family?"

At this point, there was no point in hiding, Xia Jingfeng frankly revealed the situation.

"The Tang Family has been in business for generations. By the time of Father Tang, they finally produced a scholar who gained the title of Graduate! In Jinling City’s state county, he funded a position as a county magistrate!"

"The Tang Family is quite wealthy, and Father Tang is somewhat literate, in his youth he fancied himself a romantic scholar, incurring countless debts in the pleasure quarters, not only marrying more than ten concubines but also causing trouble with brothel women, even marrying one or two home."

"Tang Xun... is a daughter born to one of those women brought from the pleasure quarters!"

"Thus, she was not favored in the family!"

"Hence, when the Tang Family learned that I was interested in Tang Xun, they couldn’t understand why! Her legitimate mother and a few legitimate sisters are extremely jealous and gnashing their teeth!"

"If not for Tang Xun’s cleverness and wisdom, she might... already not be alive now!"

Speaking of these things, Xia Jingfeng’s eyes were full of heartache.

Ni Manxue listened with a heart racing, but she saw Xia Jingfeng’s compassion very clearly.

Apart from the Empress in the palace, she had never seen him care so much for someone.

Yet...

Could a daughter born to a woman from the pleasure quarters truly... truly... bear the title of the Crown Prince’s aunt?

Marriage is no small matter; she couldn’t make this decision!

Ni Manxue looked towards Xia Tingfeng.

Only to see him also with furrowed brows, as if deeply contemplating something.

Although he was a Military General, he understood the importance of reputation.

His personal relation to the Empress wasn’t direct, actually belonging to the Xia Family’s side branch, which was fine.

But Jingfeng is the Empress’s own brother!

Marrying such a woman into the family was not just his personal matter.

Consideration must be given to the face and reputation of the Empress, even affecting the Crown Prince, the future Emperor.

If such a matter doesn’t spread it’s alright, but once it does, rumor develops into falsehood, words can be fearsome!

"Jingfeng, have you really made up your mind?"

Xia Jingfeng’s face appeared quite troubled.

Having been in officialdom for these years, how could he not understand these intricacies?

On one side is his closest legitimate sister, on the other is the wife he has chosen.

How to choose? Whom to choose? He was torn!

"Precisely because I couldn’t decide, I didn’t dare reveal the matter!"

"I ask brother and sister-in-law to help me resolve this problem!"

Xia Tingfeng furrowed his brow.

"Does the Tang Family have any other intentions? What’s this about the eldest daughter?"