Sure enough, Xiao QingYan was as good as his words. When Xu ChangAn got up to wash up and prepare to have breakfast, a maidservant came to report; the two Cefei waited outside the door, waiting to pay respect[1] to Wangfei.
Xu ChangAn clearly remembered that he already told them that they didn’t have to come every day to pay respect. Now why did they come again?
Xu ChangAn did not want to deal with the two women, but since the people had come, he could not help but let people in.
“Paying respect to Wangfei.”
“Two Cefei came so early, what’s the matter?” Odd, forget about QinXin, but why was Min Yu also wearing a low-key look, what happened to her these days?
“Wangfei was receiving shocked yesterday. We came to see Wangfei.”   “It's good that Wangfei is alright.”
“I’m all right. Thank you for your concern.” Xu ChangAn was curious. It’s impossible for these two people to come and see him exclusively. What’s wrong with them? Was it for Xiao QingYan’s reaction yesterday that struck them in the end?
Xu ChangAn guessed at will. He had not finished his thoughts but he could guess their minds. QinXin and Min Yu had never looked at Nan Xi before, but thought that she was just a woman which Wangye temporarily fascinated by her beauty. When Wangye’s fascination passed away, she would be nothing. But after yesterday’s incident, they were obviously struck dumb.
That Nan Xi was so valued by Wangye, even if she had no status now, however Wangye liked her so much. Soon perhaps she would bear his heir. At that time, it was reasonable to give her the status.
“Wangfei, that Miss Nan Xi in Tongxin Garden has no relation with Wang Residence, but as a guest. I'm afraid leaving things like this is not good. Since Wangye likes her, he should give her a status and leave her with a right and proper title." As a peasant woman, her identity was not enough to be Wangye's concubine[2]. Moreover, there was no heir yet, at most give her a concubine status. Even if in the future she gave birth, she should not be given the status of Cefei!
Yesterday, QinXin did not come to Wangfei’s main courtyard at all. She was always cautious. Yesterday, she heard that an assassin came into the residence. She just shut the door of her courtyard, so that she could stay safe in her own courtyard. But Min Yu went out yesterday. When she arrived at Wangfei’s courtyard, she just watched Wangye leave with Nan Xi, and Wangfei was taken away by assassin!
Min Yu was stunned in place at that time; her heart hated but could not do anything. She really did not think that the woman who was nothing in her eyes would be so important in Wangye’s heart. Min Yu hurried to QinXin's courtyard. After her hatred was vented, QinXin was shocked, but still remained calm. She only said that they would go to Wangfei's courtyard tomorrow and let Wangfei take the lead to give Miss Nan Xi a status.
Xu ChangAn was Xiao QingYan’s Wangfei. If Xiao QingYan saw any woman, it was natural that his Wangfei should step in for him to receive the woman into the residence. In general, this kind of woman was at most given a concubine’s status.
Xu ChangAn didn’t realize that the two people came here to seek him out to ask him to give status to Nan Xi? However, this kind of matter was relayed to him?
“Wangye has told me that it is not convenient for me to interfere in Miss Nan Xi's affairs. Better see how Wangye arranges it himself.” Xu ChangAn did not understand the twists and turns in the heart of QinXin. He directly threw what they asked for him to Xiao QingYan. If he had the ability, he would go to Wangye's and say it.
QinXin didn’t realize that Wangfei didn’t care about his authority at all, he just dismissed her with such a relaxed sentence. Whether he knew it was his authority or not, it was also a good chance for him to beat Nan Xi! He’s a Wangfei, how could he not care about some established rule and propriety?
“Alright, you must not have breakfast yet. Go back. If you really want to do good for Miss Nan Xi, you can go and talk to Wangye yourselves.”
“Wangfei, you…”
“Let's go! What else are you doing sitting down?" The scheme failed. Min Yu did not look good and was not planning to continue to pretend now. She stood up and roared at QinXin and went away. QinXin got up and saluted Xu ChangAn. Then she walked out quickly. It seemed that she was going to chase after Min Yu.
“Humph, they’re really funny! Who do you think you are? How dare they want to use Wangfei as a tool in their hands!” Chunyu naturally could not understand such twists and turns, but she knew that anything related to that Nan Xi was certainly not a good thing, and these two people want to make her young master come forward. That was not a good thing; it must be that they want to use her young master!
“Don’t worry about them. Let's have breakfast.”
After QinXin caught up with Min Yu, she was not looking good. When they came, they said that they would get along well with Wangfei in the future. But how could Min Yu not forbears a little while, and again revealed her true face?
“Forbearance? Why should I bear it? You saw his cowardly appearance, what kind of Wangfei? He dares not provoke a low-status herb-picking woman, there will be no gain associating with him!” Min Yu was resentful. Xu ChangAn's status was a Wangfei but he was such an overcautious. If she was a Wangfei, Xiao QingYan’s Wangfei, she would have long since given Nan Xi's status as concubine in accordance with the established rules. And then she would go forward and set rules every day! Let her know who the master was!
“Meimei!”
“Don’t call me! I’ll never listen to you again!" Rather than pretended in front of Xu ChangAn, who had no future, might as well go to Nan Xi's place and walk there more. Maybe she could meet Wangye in her place as well!
QinXin was also disappointed, but she still did not want to take the initiative to approach Nan Xi. As long as Xu ChangAn was still Wangfei, he could not be offended.
Steward Zhu was called to the study by Wangye early in the morning. He thought Wangye had something for him to do. How could he know that when Wangye opened his mouth, he brought up about Zhu Quan’s age?
“He’s sixteen years old this year, and he’s reached the age of matrimony. Does steward have any desirable candidates in mind?" Although Wangfei could decide on Zhu Quan’s marriage, Xiao QingYan called the steward because of what he had done intentionally these days. Many people in the residence had other thoughts. It was not like Xiao QingYan didn’t know. He just didn’t know what other people were thinking about, but at least he hoped that the steward could have a good thought. Only in this way could Xu ChangAn’s days in the residence not be really difficult.
“Wangye, Zhu Quan has been with you since childhood. You are his master and his marriage affair is your decision.” Most of the manservants in the residence were matched with the maidservants in the residence. Although Zhu Quan was his son, at the end, he was still a servant of Wang Residence. His son’s marriage was naturally decided by Wangye. The steward knew that Xiao QingYan would not do wrong with his son's marriage. Although they were servants, they had different feelings. The person whom Wangye pointed out to his son must also be highly valued by Wangye.
“Well, that Chunyu from Wangfei's side looked good to me. I asked Zhu Quan, and he had some thoughts about the maid himself. It seems that Chunyu's and Zhu Quan's age are perfectly right. However, Wangfei seems to value that maid very much. You go yourself to ask for people from Wangfei. If Wangfei is willing to let people go, I will decide to hold their marriage next year." Clearly the decision had been made, but he still letting the steward to take the initiative to go propose a marriage. Xiao QingYan only had to say directly, how could the steward not know Xiao Qingyan’s meaning?   “Wangye, Chunyu is Wangfei's close big[3] maidservant, and Wangfei values her highly. If Wangfei agreed, when Chunyu marries over, this old servant and family will not treat her badly.” It was actually Chunyu…
“Alright, I don't have anything more to say. You can go. By the way, don’t arrange too many things for Zhu Quan these days. Let him spare time to prepare for his marriage."
“Yes. This old servant asks for leave to withdraw.” When Steward Zhu came out of Xiao QingYan's study, he dared to show his emotions on his face. He originally thought that Wangye treated Wangfei was only out of respect and Wangye's heart hardly had any affection toward Wangfei. But now it seemed that Wangye…
Incorrect! He was the Wang Residence's steward. Wangfei was the master regardless of whether he was highly valued by Wangye or not. Where was the justification for the servant to make irresponsible remarks?! In the future, those mouthy slave servants should be banished from the residence!
Zhu Quan soon heard the matter about him and Chunyu from his father. He liked Chunyu, but he was worried that his father and Wangye would not agree with them. Now, when he got the news that he and Chunyu were nailed on the marriage board, he was happy, and immediately ran to Xiao QingYan to thank him.
“Wangye, thanks for Wangye helping me achieve my aim.” Zhu Quan’s eyes were almost invisible from smiling. Xiao QingYan was relieved to see him like that. Since he liked her so much, he would surely be good to that maid in the future. Wangfei would not need to worry about it.
“Emm, Zhu Quan, Wang asks you a question.”
“Please ask, Wangye.”
“Roughly, how old is it when the young masters of the rich and influential families are arranged a personal maidservant[4] to serve them?”
“Ah? This…” He thought that Wangye was going to ask him about his marriage. How could he know that Wangye would ask this kind of question? Zhu Quan was stunned at once, but he answered immediately, “Usually when they are sixteen. Why do you ask this, Wangye?”
“Nothing, you can go.” Sixteen… When Xiao QingYan was sixteen, the palace also arranged for him personal palace maids, but at that time he did not like the two women that were arranged for him by his imperial father. And soon his residence was opened and he left the palace, he did not know where the two palace maids went now.
As for the two maidservants [Ziyan, Ziyue] that the palace sent in his eighteenth year, he was disgusted with them because they were sent to him by the Succeeding Empress, and he had never seen them before. So he just left them in the back courtyard and kept them well.
“So… he had touched a woman?!” That was why Xu ChangAn resisted him so much?! Knowing that his Wangfei was sure to be disappointed and sad yesterday, Xiao QingYan just wanted to reassure him a little, who knows that his intimacy had been rejected. Xiao QingYan thought that last night he was too abrupt, and now it might be assumed that… it was because he had already touched a woman and could not stand a man’s approach?
“There is no such rule!”
Shortly after Zhu Quan left Wangye’s study, there came Wangye’s angry scolding voice and the sound of things falling to the ground. Naturally the young manservant guarding outside thought that this was Wangye’s anger directed at Zhu Quan. He felt odd; what did Zhu Quan say to Wangye, which made him so angry?
Footnotes:
[1] pay respect to sb. ; wish sb. good health
[2] Qiefei also means concubine [Qie=concubine] but different from Cefei [Ce=side]. Most probably the lowest rank
[3] big or small maidservant indicate the rank
[4] personal maidservant is a maid in name, but more like concubine. Differ with maidservant who is genuinely a maid.