The cousin's family is extremely wealthy; she deserves to be a concubine.

Hua Sirong hummed in agreement, showing no desire to speak.

Wang's mother dutifully stood by, gently fanning herself.

After a while, Hua Sirong finally spoke, "My aunt received a letter from our hometown in Xishan, saying that she has found the friends and guards who used to travel with my father as merchants."

Mrs. Wang was extremely excited, "But didn't the person who came to deliver the message say that they hadn't found anyone alive?"

During the winter, Hua Sirong was already unwell, and with the news of her father's death, she had no energy to investigate the inside story. Only now did she realize that she still had many questions in her heart.

"The letter said that my father and his party had encountered robbers. Only this uncle and a guard my father hired survived."

Mrs. Wang: "Why didn't he show up during the funeral arrangements for the master?"

Hua Sirong explained, "They said that both of them were seriously injured and unconscious. They were rescued before and have been recuperating. Now they are finally recovered, which is why they found the old house in Xishan."

A glimmer of hope appeared in Mrs. Wang's eyes. "Could it be that our master is also recuperating somewhere?" After all, the body that was recovered at the time was incomplete.

Maybe that's not her husband.

Hua Sirong looked up at the sky, trying her best not to let the tears fall. "Although my father's body was incomplete, I only took one look and dared not look closely again, but the clan sent people to examine it carefully."

Leaving aside the clothes he was wearing, although the jade thumb ring he wore close to his body was nowhere to be found, the scar on his back and the black mole on his arm were unmistakable.

Mother Wang knew the hope was slim. "Did those people from the clan come to take you back?"

Hua Sirong shook her head, "No, they said they came to tell their father his last words."

Only then did Madam Wang slowly give up hope. "Could it be that the master is hiding some private money somewhere?"

If there really was such a thing, why didn't you secretly tell the young lady? What would happen to the young lady if the Lady of the Marquis overheard?

Hua Sirong patted Wang Mama's hand and glanced back at the study. Only then did Wang Mama remember that He Zhizhu and her maid were in the study. She quickly fell silent, fearing that what she had just said would be overheard.

Hua Sirong explained in a low voice, "The reason why the letter had to go through my aunt's hands is because it mentioned that my father, on his deathbed, had instructed that friend uncle."

If he manages to return alive, please remember to tell me that I don't need to observe three years of mourning for my father. To show filial piety, only a hundred days is necessary; my father is worried it will interfere with my flowering season.

After saying this, Hua Sirong could no longer hold back her tears.

She used to feel that her father was good to her, but sometimes she felt that he wasn't good enough to her.

But even on his deathbed, her father was thinking of her, how could she not feel regret, longing, or pain?

Madam Wang was both crying and laughing. "Although the master cannot come back to life, I am heartbroken. But what this letter says is great news for the young lady."

"Mom used to worry that you were getting older and it would be harder to find you a husband. But now, thanks to the late master's will, the young lady can be introduced to suitable families much earlier."

Hua Sirong thought of He Zhizhu's previous remarks about concubines, and for a moment she didn't know whether this matter was good or bad.

"Okra, why do I hear someone crying?" He Zhizhu opened her eyes groggily and saw Okra fanning herself beside her.

Okra quickly got up. "Miss, are you awake? Did I disturb your sleep?"

He Zhizhu looked out the window at the sun. "Oh dear, I'm still half asleep. I'm in my cousin's yard. Where's my cousin? Could it be my cousin crying outside?"

He Zhizhu told Qiu Kui to quickly help her get up, and after tidying up a bit, they left the room.

"cousin."

Hua Sirong and Wang's mother, having already stopped talking, heard the noise from the study. "I'm sorry to have disturbed you, cousin. Did you sleep well?"

He Zhizhu said in a good mood, "I haven't slept this well for several days, it's all thanks to my cousin."

Hua Sirong: "I dare not take credit for this; you are clearly exhausted."

He Zhizhu didn't care whether she acknowledged it or not, "Cousin, why are your eyes red? What happened?"

Hua Sirong could only briefly mention the last words in the letter.

She thought He Zhizhu would offer her congratulations, but to her surprise, He Zhizhu looked horrified.

"Cousin, could I borrow the letter to take a look?"

Hua Sirong was puzzled. "The letter is with your aunt. You'll have to go to Yimei Garden to see it."

Coincidentally, Madam Shen also wanted to see her youngest daughter, so this was a win-win situation. Qiu Kui had just told He Zhizhu about this while she was serving her in the room.

He Zhizhu seemed to have something urgent to attend to. Without chatting with Hua Sirong for long, she took her leave and went to Yimei Garden in a hurry, which showed that she was anxious.

Upon seeing Madam Shen, He Zhizhu hurriedly asked to see the letter.

Shen assumed that she was happy for Hua Sirong, so she generously showed it to her.

He Zhizhu read it over and over again, repeatedly saying, "Impossible, impossible."

Although the sound was very soft, Shen was close enough to hear it clearly.

Madam Shen: "What do you mean it's impossible? It's all in black and white, how could it be fake? Besides, in a few days, your cousin's family will be coming from their hometown, and they'll say it again in person then. This matter is definitely not fake."

He Zhizhu clutched the letter and slumped into a chair.

Madam Shen walked over, took the letter back, folded it, and said irritably, "You brat, you're such a troublemaker."

"It's one thing if you're not very polite here, but when you're out and about, please don't sit like that."

He Zhizhu remained unmoved by Shen's words; a fierce internal struggle was raging within her.

In her past life, her mother didn't receive any letters from the Hua family, and her cousin truly observed three years of mourning.

What went wrong in my life?

Things that never happened in my past life have happened in this life!

So, is it possible that things that happened in a past life might not happen in this life?

For example, what about the matter of their Muqing Marquis family's property being confiscated and their exile?

Her mind was in complete chaos, and she was extremely panicked.

She desperately needed to carefully recall other events from her past life and compare them with the real world to verify her ideas.

"Mother, I still want to stay at my cousin's place for two days."

Ms. Shen disagreed, "You just said that your cousin cried. She was going through a difficult time. Why would you bother her?"

If you're afraid to live alone, then move into my courtyard. You lived in the east wing when you were little; it can be easily renovated and is habitable.

After saying that, without waiting for He Zhizhu to nod, Madam Shen directly called over a few maids in the courtyard to follow Qiu Kui to pack their things.

He Zhizhu initially wanted to stop them, but then she thought that since she lived in Yimei Garden, she would know in time when the Hua family came. She would definitely sneak over to find out the truth of the matter.

Having made up his mind, he no longer opposed Shen's arrangements.

Seeing that her daughter had given up, Madam Shen breathed a sigh of relief.

She didn't want to argue with her own daughter, but He Zhizhu had nightmares in her own courtyard, and when she went to Hua Sirong's territory in Qingwu Courtyard, she slept soundly. It was just so strange.

She didn't dislike her niece, but given Yingjie's example, she preferred to believe it was true rather than not.

In short, she still doesn't want her daughter to get too close to Hua Sirong for the time being.