Chapter 266: Chapter 266: Xu Mubai’s Impatience

The next day, Mo Hua was serving Su Li as she washed and dressed.

"Miss, Mo Hua, quickly go to the main hall. Young Master Xu has come to propose marriage."

Su Li was startled. So early?

Su Li looked at Mo Hua and chuckled, "It seems Mubai is very impatient."

"Miss, let’s take our time and make him wait," Mo Hua said calmly. If not for her slightly trembling fingertips, one would truly believe she was so composed.

Su Li looked into the mirror and smiled, "Alright, let’s go out quickly."

Su Li led her people to the main hall and saw that Xu Mubai was exceptionally spirited today.

He wore a green robe embroidered with elegant bamboo leaves, standing tall and refined.

Seeing Su Li emerge, he hastily cupped his hands in greeting.

"Miss."

He then looked at Mo Hua behind Su Li, his gaze gentle.

Mo Hua, too, was clearly exceptionally dressed up today. Even the clothes and jewelry she usually saved for special occasions were worn today.

A naturally charming girl, now dressed up, hardly looked like a maid; she was clearly a young lady.

Su Li nodded, looking at the betrothal gifts, which were indeed substantial.

They were prepared entirely as if proposing to a young lady from a respectable family.

At this moment, the matchmaker beside him opened her mouth and smiled, "Oh, this must be Miss Mo Hua, right? Miss Mo Hua is truly blessed and talented, a perfect match for our Young Master Xu!"

Just then, Mother Su also rushed over. Seeing such a generous gesture from the other party, she was naturally surprised.

Her daughter had told her yesterday, asking if she was willing to have three more filial "daughters." She was, of course, willing.

These three maids were all chosen by her, and she had watched them grow up.

Nurtured in the inner quarters alongside her own daughter, they were not much different from her daughter, except that they were not born from her womb.

Time was pressing. The adoption ceremony could be held later.

Su Li watched her mother enter and introduced her to Xu Mubai’s situation.

Looking at the energetic young man in front of her, Mother Su nodded slightly.

"Mubai greets Madam Su." Xu Mubai saluted.

He was a little confused. Even if the Su manor treated its maids well, for the young lady to appear was already a great honor.

Mother Su smiled, "Mo Hua will be my adopted daughter from now on. For her marriage, I, this Madam, will naturally step forward."

The matchmaker’s eyes lit up. At first, she thought this Su manor maid was marrying above her station. Now, it seemed, it was truly hard to say who was marrying above whom.

"Madam Su, this is Young Master Xu’s birth card. Please present Miss’s birth card, and we will find someone to choose an auspicious day," the matchmaker said with a smile.

Wangxia smiled, stepped forward, and exchanged birth cards with her.

The few of them sat in the main hall, drinking tea. The matchmaker, with her eloquent tongue, praised everyone in the Su manor, creating a very harmonious atmosphere.

It was almost noon when Mother Su offered to keep them for a meal. Xu Mubai, remembering he had an appointment, excused himself.

After Xu Mubai left with the matchmaker, Mother Su looked at the betrothal gifts in the courtyard and sighed, "This Young Master Xu looks quite good."

Su Li smiled, "Naturally. Otherwise, how could your daughter give Mo Hua away?"

Mo Hua stepped forward, "Mo Hua thanks Madam, Miss!"

Mother Su looked at Mo Hua and said, "After we choose a day for the adoption ceremony, you few maids will call me ’Adopted Mother’."

Mo Hua said, "The luckiest thing for us maids in this life was entering the Ministry of War manor and meeting Master, Madam, and Miss, who are such kind masters. Whether we call you Madam or Adopted Mother, our hearts for Madam are the same."

Mother Su nodded with satisfaction and said to the housekeeper, "First, move these betrothal gifts into the storeroom. When Mo Hua gets married, they will be sent to the Xu manor along with her dowry."

"Yes, old servant will arrange for people to carry them now," the housekeeper said, then called people to carry the betrothal gifts from the courtyard.

Mo Hua was grateful. What servant’s family could receive such generous treatment?

Heaven had treated her kindly. Though a servant, she had hardly suffered in her early years before being bought to serve the young lady.

She hadn’t done any dirty or heavy work. Her food, clothing, and daily expenses were better than those of young ladies from ordinary small households, and she even learned to read and write with the young lady.

Moreover, now she had Mubai.

Now, she had family and a loved one. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

All she wished for in this life was for her loved ones to have a smooth life.

Su Li stood up and smiled, "Let’s go, it’s time for lunch."

Siqin stepped forward and smiled, "Young Master Xu was too impatient. Miss hasn’t even had breakfast yet."

Mo Hua looked at Su Li, embarrassed, "Miss, I’m sorry..."

"Silly girl, what’s there to be sorry about? We’re all happy for you. Let’s go, you must be starving too," Su Li said, supporting her mother towards the main courtyard.

She accompanied Mother Su for lunch and then played with Yu Ge’er for a while.

Looking at the smiling faces of her daughter and son, Mother Su’s heart was filled with tenderness.

"Li’er, when are you planning to depart? Mother will prepare some things for you," Mother Su asked.

"Mother, we will depart the day after tomorrow. You don’t need to prepare anything. The fewer things I bring, the better."

"So soon? The West Realm is cold, I was going to make you some padded jackets to take," Mother Su thought it would take at least ten days, but she didn’t expect it to be so urgent.

Su Li stepped forward and nestled into her mother’s embrace, saying softly, "Mother, don’t worry. Your daughter won’t let herself freeze or starve."

Stroking her daughter’s long hair, Mother Su was full of reluctance.

"You, you just came back and now you’re leaving again."

Su Li nestled in her mother’s arms, saying playfully, "This time, when your daughter returns, she won’t go anywhere else. She’ll just stay and guard Father and Mother."

Mother Su smiled, "I’m afraid Ziyan won’t agree. If your trip goes smoothly, you’ll be getting married as soon as you return."

Counting it this way, her daughter had truly spent too little time by her side.

Su Li felt the reluctance in her mother’s words. She tightly hugged Mother Su’s waist, clinging to her mother’s embrace, smelling her mother’s scent, unwilling to get up.

Yu Ge’er looked at his mother and sister, babbling incessantly.

Su Li looked at him and smiled, "Do you want Mama to hold you too?"

Saying this, she picked up the little bundle of joy and nestled back into Mother Su’s embrace.

Mother Su held her daughter, watching her son play with her long hair in her daughter’s arms. It was a rare and warm moment.

Finally, tired from playing, Yu Ge’er fell asleep soundly in his sister’s arms.

Su Li carefully placed him on the bed and watched him with Mother Su for a while, then returned to her own courtyard.

Su Li told Siqin and the others to take out the winter padded jackets and hang them out to air.

"Miss, let this servant go with you. You and His Highness should always have a maid by your side to take care of you," Siqin said reluctantly.

Su Li sat at the table, drinking tea, and said, "This journey is dangerous. I have some confidence in protecting myself, but if I bring another person, I might not be able to look after them. I can’t let you all be in danger."

"Miss just returned and is leaving again. We’ll miss you," Zhishu said, bringing in refreshments.

Su Li stood up, taking one hand each.

"Alright, don’t pout anymore. You few, in the manor, help me take care of Father, Mother, and Yu Ge’er. I’ll be back soon."

Siqin said, "Miss, don’t worry. We will take good care of the manor."

Su Li comforted the maids, re-checked the medicines she had prepared yesterday, and thought carefully about anything else she needed to bring. After inventorying everything, she finally felt at ease.

Everything was ready; she could depart at any time.

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