Like Pearl and Jade

Chapter 24

"Miss." Bao Mei helped Sima Xiang off the carriage and said by her ear, "Eldest Master's carriage seems to be at the gates."

Sima Xiang turned to look, and walked into the compound with a smile on her face.

In the inner courtyard, Third Mistress and Eldest Mistress were drinking tea. The atmosphere was harmonious and no effect from the rumors of the last few days could be seen.

"Has there been any news from the imperial house?" Compared to Eldest Mistress, Third Mistress could not hold her composure. "The empress dowager has not spoken. I don't know what she intends."

"Grand Princess Deyi responded saying the empress dowager subtly refused her suggestion." Eldest Mistress shook her head, and took a sip of tea to suppress her complicated emotions. "The Holy One is a half-grown youth, and doesn't know of love. They said that he will not consider marriage before he is governing on his own."

"He wants to govern before he is married." Third Mistress snorted coldly. "He thinks wonderfully." Even if the emperor wanted to, the court may not agree.

Eldest Mistress glanced at her, and then looked at her daughter sitting next to her. She put down the teacup and said slowly, "I came today to tell you of another matter."

Third Mistress smiled upon hearing this. "What matter is Eldest Sister-in-law speaking of?"

"Grand Princess Deyi has made a marriage proposal to the Sima Family for her eldest grandson. I have agreed." Eldest Mistress said, "Grand Princess' eldest grandson is seventeen and a handsome youth skilled in foreign languages. Next month, he will come to the capital to be the vice minister of Court of State Ceremonial."

Third Mistress's heart jumped. She did not know her eldest sister-in-law's intentions and could only say with a smile, "Since Eldest Sister-in-law says he is good, he will definitely not be bad."

"The family conduct of Sanggan's Shen Family is trustworthy." Eldest Mistress seemed to not sense the other's uncertainty and said directly, "While his position does not appear to be high right now, he is ambitious and has connections to the imperial family. He is suitable for Ling'er."

Third Mistress was slightly shocked. So Eldest Sister-in-law was not speaking of marriage for her daughter, but for Eldest Miss? Previously, hadn't the eldest branch wanted to send Eldest Miss into the palace? Why had they changed ideas?

Seeing her sister-in-law not understanding, Eldest Mistress couldn't help but advise, "They say the Zhou Family wanted to send a miss into the palace as consort. The empress dowager refused."

Even the empress dowager's paternal family had not succeeded in sending someone into the palace, much less the Sima Family. The Sima Family only had the reputation accumulated by their ancestors and the small bit of familial relationship with the Holy One's birth mother.

But what the ancestors had accumulated belonged to them. No matter how much other people revered the Sima Family, they would not place the glory of their ancestors onto their descendants. Even more importantly, since the emperor's ascension, he had not expressed closeness to the Sima Family, and appeared cold and distant.

The first branch expressed a care about the position of empress in order to express the regard they felt towards the emperor. But this did not mean they had to have the position of empress. If they could get it, then it would be a blessing. But if not, they would not be too disappointed.

She saw that the third branch's ambitions towards the empress' position were growing and worried that the other would be embarrassed so she couldn't help but say a few words. The branches were connected. Regardless of which branch embarrassed themselves, the other two branches would not look much better.