Summer Solstice was approaching, and the weather at the end of spring already carried a hint of the capriciousness of summer. The morning had been clear for a while, but by afternoon, it had gradually turned overcast. The pedestrians on Jiangning Street hurried along, and housewives were taking in the laundry drying in their courtyards, waiting for the rain that might fall.

The Su family mansion was also shrouded in gloom. Although it wasn't obvious on the surface, an oppressive atmosphere, as if it was about to rain, hung over courtyard after courtyard. Ning Yi's uproar yesterday, coupled with Su Yu's opportunistic exploitation of the situation, had brought too many possible changes to this family. These changes had been foreshadowed from the beginning, but their eruption was unexpected. Ning Yi's toughness and Su Yu's early retraction of support had caught Su Zhongkan, Su Yunfang, and others off guard. The power of the Second and Third Branches would certainly have to be handed over, and many of the Su family's resources would be concentrated on Su Tan'er's side. But Su Yu's determination was so swift that these matters were truly pressing upon them.

The internal situation of the Su family was originally delicate, not a situation of a stable tripartite balance. Although it had been divided into three branches, most of the power had ultimately not been dispersed. Neither Su Zhongkan nor Su Yunfang had the strength or ambition to truly separate the family, whether in terms of business or family property. But Su Yu intended to remove them from the historical stage of the Su family, completely establishing the dominance of the Main Branch. Although the Second and Third Branches would still have their own industries, and even if they expanded and flourished, the lineage of Su Zhongkan and Su Yunfang would not leave the core circle and become completely peripheral. However, in this current round, they had truly lost the most crucial game.

Originally, they had hoped that the Main Branch's bloodline was thin, and that among the fourth generation of the Su family, born from mediocre individuals like Su Wenxing, there might be someone capable of shouldering the Su family's responsibilities. But now that Ning Yi and Su Tan'er were both so capable, that hope had become extremely faint for them.

The Second and Third Branches were trying to get Su Yu to change his mind in the final moments or to buy some time. People like Su Yu, who were in charge, were already considering which members of the Second and Third Branches could be completely eliminated from the competition. The situation was not lively. In this overcast weather, many matters were hidden beneath a serious atmosphere and undercurrents. To outsiders, only the small merchants who delivered vegetables and meat or collected night soil every day could vaguely sense that the atmosphere in the Su mansion was different from usual. When asked, the answers they received were vague, because most of the Su family's servants probably couldn't see the situation clearly at this time either.

Apart from the anxious Second and Third Branches, the Su family's Main Branch, which had successfully navigated yesterday's events, also seemed to have a heavy atmosphere at this time. Not only was there silence on Su Tan'er's side and no major reaction from Su Boyong's side to this day, but even many stewards or managers belonging to the Main Branch were not talking about this victory today. Instead, they were secretly pondering another matter that had triggered this event: did Son-in-Law Ning really have an affair with that courtesan? Or: What exactly will the Second Miss's attitude be?

This matter had passed on the surface. The Second and Third Branches couldn't bring it up again. At this point, the people of the Main Branch could finally put it in front of them, take a close look, and analyze it. In a sense, while the conspiracy led by Su Wenxing of the Su family's Second and Third Branches had failed, the negative impact of this matter had still emerged.

Su Tan'er had just given birth after all, a time when a woman is most vulnerable and needs her husband's care, yet her husband had been rumored to be involved in such a thing. Ning Yi had also not made a positive explanation of this matter—it could be said that he felt it was unnecessary, but it could also be understood as confirmation, only that Son-in-Law Ning had cleverly covered it up. Now that Ning Yi's abilities and importance were being increasingly recognized by everyone, how he and Su Tan'er could reach understanding and tacit agreement had become the most concerning issue for everyone.

In such a silence and speculation, the person involved took action in the first instance. However, although neither husband nor wife was a passive character, Su Tan'er's sudden decision was somewhat unexpected to Ning Yi.

It was still afternoon. When he was called into the room, Su Tan'er was leaning against the bed, looking at a list of the Su family's Second and Third Branches. Although she had just given birth, it wasn't a serious injury. It was said that some rural women went to work in the fields on the same day they gave birth. Su Tan'er was in good health, and the baby had been born for two days, so it was okay to use her brain a little. The arrangements for the people of the Second and Third Branches were led by Su Yu. She was just taking a look. After Xing'er came in, she looked down at it for a while, but her mind was clearly on other things.

Xing'er poured her a glass of water. She took it and took a sip, paused, and then asked, "Where is my husband?" She didn't get out of bed, so her voice was a little weak.

"It seems...the Master called him over."

"Oh." Su Tan'er nodded, put down the list in her hand, held the teacup, thought for a while, and then said, "Xing'er, find Juan'er later. Go out this afternoon and do something for me."

"Okay."

Thinking about things while making decisions, Xing'er could see that Su Tan'er was using the attitude she always had when dealing with things in the business world, but the feeling was quite different at this time. She was obviously hesitating, but finally smiled with an uncertain feeling: "I don't know if this is the right thing to do, but... go out later and find that Miss Nie, and give her a message for me, just say... if she's free tomorrow, invite her to the mansion for a chat. Xing'er, you must be polite..."

Xing'er hesitated slightly: "That Miss Nie..."

"That's Miss Nie Yunzhu." Su Tan'er smiled. Xing'er looked at her smile and nodded, "Oh, I, I know..."

Su Tan'er was silent for a moment, and then added: "This is a private invitation, Xing'er, arrange it. It doesn't have to be secret, but don't let the people in the mansion disturb Miss Nie. Apologies and so on, are not necessary for the time being. Those people have ulterior motives and will only embarrass people. Also tell her, it's just me and her who will meet, there won't be anyone else, and... it's best not to let my husband know, just tell her that..."

"Yes." Xing'er nodded, "But if that Miss Nie comes to the mansion, he will eventually find out..."

"It's okay if he doesn't know for a while... Actually, it doesn't matter if he knows." Su Tan'er smiled complexly and weakly, "My husband can't guess what I'm going to do."

Xing'er nodded and waited beside her for a while. Seeing that Su Tan'er had no more instructions, she prepared to go out and call Juan'er over. She took two steps, but turned back, gritted her teeth and said, "Miss, actually, the Master's personality has always been upright and honorable. Since he said in front of those people... said that Miss Nie was a virgin, it must be true. This servant thinks, this servant thinks... the relationship between the Miss and the Master has always been very good, if you listen to those people, then..."

The relationship between Xing'er and Su Tan'er was like that of sisters, but it was not appropriate for a maid to arbitrarily comment on matters between the masters. Among the three maids, her temper was relatively straightforward. These words blurted out, and when she got here, she felt a little embarrassed to say more. However, Su Tan'er didn't mind. She sat on the bed, stroking the teacup with both hands, then turned back and smiled at her. After a moment, she looked out the window and said faintly:

"I also know my husband's character, he would not bother to lie to those people in the family. I asked that Miss Nie to come over, not to question her as the first wife, or to give her a hard time. But... Xing'er, I'm not thinking about these things..." She paused, "In the past, I let my husband participate in those poetry gatherings and literary gatherings, so that he could make friends with those talented scholars... even if they were beautiful women, it didn't matter. My husband's talent and demeanor make it easy for people to fall in love with him. If my husband had been interested, the Four Great Courtesans of Jiangning, Miss Qi Lan and the others, would have been rumored many times... That doesn't matter..."

She said it didn't matter, but her tone was slightly lower, probably meaning there was something. Then she continued: "But my husband never did anything improper with them... Only in Hangzhou, that Liu Xigua, Chieftain Liu, fell in love with my husband, and my husband... may have appreciated her, but I can't understand that kind of appreciation. My husband is good enough to me, to you all, I rarely see a man like him in any family. But it's because of this that, specifically, this Miss Nie, I don't know what to think..."

"She and my husband have known each other for a long time. My husband also taught her how to open a shop and became friends with her. How exactly does she see my husband, and how does my husband see her..." She smiled bitterly, "Xing'er, I don't dare to ask these things, and I don't want to test my husband. That Miss Nie... she has been in the brothel for so many years, and was able to keep her virginity and redeem herself, perhaps only such a person can gain my husband's approval..."

Su Tan'er shook her head: "Actually... actually, I don't even know what kind of feelings I have for that Miss Nie right now, and I don't want to desperately guess at my husband's feelings. Perhaps I always have to meet her once before I can know what I really think in my heart..."

After Su Tan'er finished speaking, Xing'er called Juan'er over not long after. She asked a knowledgeable steward to inquire about the address of that Miss Nie, and went all the way there. The sky was overcast, and the roads by the Qinhuai River still bore the traces of yesterday's ruckus. The small building that had been smashed in many places had not yet been repaired. Although there seemed to be some guards near the door, they didn't stop her. She knocked on the door and then met that Miss Nie Yunzhu.

After hearing what the Miss had said at home earlier, she was also a little curious about this Miss Nie. And after relaying all the words and being sent out of the small building, Xing'er was also thinking in her heart, how could this Miss Nie be such a quiet and elegant woman, and she vaguely felt that the Miss's meeting with her tomorrow might not be a good thing.

But she was just a maid, and in the end, there was nothing she could do... (To be continued.) Vote for recommendations and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)

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