"Why can’t we?" Tong Xiyan furrowed his brow, his face full of anger. After speaking loudly, he suddenly remembered that he himself had once been the same way. With a change in his expression, he nudged Xiqiu: "You should speak."

Xiqiu also didn’t know what to do next. This matter was indeed difficult to handle. The First Master was still fuming. Regardless of how prestigious the Shouning Bo Mansion might be, the way things had turned would certainly harm their reputation. The First Master would never agree to marrying Tong Xiyu to Second Master Lou at this point. Besides, even if the Tong Family agreed, the intentions of Count Shouning were still unknown. And with Second Young Madam Lou having just passed away, setting such arrangements before the mourning period was over would be scandalous. Not to mention Old Madam Lou’s temper...

"Father said sending her to the temple was just a momentary outburst. We should take this matter slowly. Second Master Lou’s words are not final; any proposals must be properly presented by a matchmaker from the Shouning Bo Mansion. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be proper, and our Tong Family would lose face." Xiqiu frowned, suggesting a non-solution to the problem!

Madam Jiang couldn’t help but sigh again, rubbing her head in a burning pain. She looked at the worried maid beside her and instructed, "Go to the front and see if the people from the Qian Family have left."

No one knew how Tong Shen Zhi would handle this!

After the maid left, Tong Shen Zhi also returned after a while. Madam Jiang approached him and asked, "Master, have the people from the Qian Family left?"

"They’ve left." Tong Shen Zhi said indifferently but didn’t explain how he had sent them off.

Madam Jiang finally relaxed a bit, turning to Nanny Qiu who had come back with Tong Shen Zhi, "Go, and keep an eye on the maids and servants around the Eighth Miss. Make sure to question each one carefully. Those who are honest can be sent to the country estate; anyone deceitful should be sold off!"

Nanny Qiu acknowledged, and Madam Jiang turned to Xiqiu, saying, "Sixth Sister, you are familiar with Madam Lou from the Shouning Bo Mansion. Could you arrange a time for us to meet with her?"

"Sister-in-law!" Tong Xiyan said discontentedly with a frown, "Are you really going to go through with it?"

Madam Jiang sighed, "No matter how we handle this, it can’t just be our side’s decision; we must have a meeting with Madam Lou. Second Master Lou doing such a disgraceful thing, the Tong Family cannot deal with it alone. We must have a discussion with Madam Lou."

After thinking for a moment, Xiqiu nodded, "I understand."

Nanny Qiu returned with a stern face and said, "First Young Madam, everyone from the Eighth Miss’s room has been locked up, but the Eighth Miss is awake..." She glanced at Xiqiu, "...and wants to see Sixth Miss."

Tong Xiyan sulked quietly in the corner, while Xiqiu said to Madam Jiang and Tong Shen Zhi, "Fortunately it’s still early, and Zhi can play here for a while. I’ll go see her now."

Madam Jiang held Xiqiu’s hand with a bitter expression and said, "Thank you for your efforts." Xiqiu smiled, and Tong Xiyan stood up angrily, flicked his sleeves, and said, "I’m leaving now." Having said that, he was the first to walk out.

Xiqiu, taking a few people including Chunliu, headed to the West Courtyard. Tong Xiyu’s yard was quiet. Only two servants guarded the courtyard gate. Xiqiu left Chunliu and the others outside and entered the room alone. Tong Xiyu leaned weakly against a large pillow, eyes closed in pain. Hearing a sound, she slowly opened her eyes to look at Xiqiu and called out, "Sixth Sister..."

Xiqiu smiled and walked over, standing by Tong Xiyu’s bedside, and asked, "Eighth Sister, why did you want to see me?"

"Please sit, Sixth Sister." Tong Xiyu said weakly, sitting up straight. Seeing Xiqiu sit down on the stool beside the bed, she gave a miserable smile and said, "Sixth Sister, you must be cursing me in your heart, thinking that I have no sense of shame and that I’ve embarrassed you all, right?" Without waiting for Xiqiu to speak, her eyes filled with tears, vulnerable yet resigned: "Actually, I know this is wrong, but... Sixth Sister, you and the Grand Commander have a deep and loving relationship, you must understand my feelings. Sometimes, when emotions arise, I have no control, even if I try to resist."

Xiqiu did not respond, quietly listening with a semblance of a smile. Tong Xiyu, seeing no reaction from her, suddenly leaned over and grabbed Xiqiu’s hand: "Sixth Sister... Please help me, only you can help me in this family."

"Sixth Sister." Xiqiu released Tong Xiyu’s hand: "Please calm down first."

Tong Xiyu’s tears fell as she frantically shook her head, "I can’t calm down, truly, Sixth Sister, I can’t calm down... Only you can help me, can you persuade Father and Brother? I beg you."

Xiqiu neither refused nor replied, simply gazing at her with a serene but detached expression. Tong Xiyu’s eyes froze, and she involuntarily shrank back, releasing Xiqiu’s hand and calling softly, "...Sixth Sister."

After a long silence, Xiqiu asked, "Why do you think if I persuade Father, he’ll agree?"

Tong Xiyu was momentarily startled by the question and said urgently, "Father always values your opinion. In the past, he has consulted you on many matters around the house, including my and Fourth Sister’s marriage. If you speak to him, he will surely agree."

Xiqiu suddenly chuckled, stood up, and said lightly, "Take care of yourself, I’m leaving now." With that, she turned away without another glance at Tong Xiyu.

Tong Xiyu, panicked, quickly got out of bed and grabbed Xiqiu with tear-filled eyes, "Sixth Sister, you can’t just leave me like this!" After a pause, she continued, "You know, I’ve always been obedient and sensible. Even Father praises my sensibility. Do you know, I learned from you, I thought by mimicking your demeanor and composure, I’ll have a better future... Third Sister is too proud without means, Fourth Sister is too stubborn, only self-centric, but you are the most understanding. I learned from you... and surely enough, everyone praises me..."

She turned, blocking Xiqiu: "You see, I happened to meet Second Master Lou at the temple. He fell for me at first sight and knew I liked wooden hibiscus. Within days, he had his servants procure various wooden hibiscus from the Capital and even from Tongzhou to plant them where we met, just to make me smile... He said I’m as elegant as a hibiscus, charming him completely, dreaming of me every night... Do you know how happy I was when he said that? I knew I was right; my efforts were rewarded. Even though I know it’s shameful, I just couldn’t help myself... You have the Grand Commander’s love, I too want the love of such a man. Now I have it, it feels like a dream... Sixth Sister, please, for the sake of our sisterhood over the years, for the similarity of our situations, help me!"

Xiqiu gently pushed her aside, and with a light smile and a raised eyebrow, she asked, "When you fell in love so recklessly and when your love story turned so grandiose, did you think of this consequence?" Tong Xiyu was stunned, nodding and shaking her head, "I... I thought about it. We intended to wait a bit longer and let him formally propose in six months. By then, Father would definitely agree, but I didn’t expect Father to marry me off to Mr. Qian. I can’t wait, I can’t marry someone else..."

"You’re not being truthful." Xiqiu shook her head, "Never mind, take care of yourself, I must go now."

"No, please, no!" Tong Xiyu held on to her: "Sixth Sister, I’m telling the truth. I love Second Master Lou, and I’m determined to marry him... I’ve never even met Mr. Qian, and I don’t want to marry him. Is that wrong? Is it?"

Xiqiu sighed, "Why don’t you understand? You live off Father’s support, and Sister-in-law’s care. Ask yourself, by pursuing your love, where does that place Father, your brother, and sister-in-law? Have you ever considered their feelings?" After a pause, she continued, "You ask for my help, yet I don’t know what I’d say to Father to persuade him. Should I explain the depth of your love, or admire your courage? I can’t do that... I’m sorry."

"Sixth Sister." Tong Xiyu stepped back, shook in shock and despair while looking at Xiqiu: "Do you truly bear to see Father send me to Puji Temple to become a nun?"

"Whether I can bear it or not doesn’t matter; these matters are up to Father to decide." Once she finished speaking, she sidestepped Tong Xiyu and headed out. As if recalling something, she turned back to Tong Xiyu, "You said you learned from me? I believe you learned more from Third Sister..." Without looking back, she left.

Tong Xiyu stood frozen there, Xiqiu’s final words echoing repeatedly in her mind... She learned from Third Sister?

Xiqiu returned to Madam Jiang’s room. Outside, a servant reported, "Sixth Lady, Sixth Son-in-law has arrived and is in the master’s study." Xiqiu nodded and stood up, telling Madam Jiang, "I’ll be leaving now. I will let you know once I’ve scheduled a meeting with Madam Lou."

Madam Jiang nodded and saw Xiqiu off at the door. Holding her son Zhi’s hand, Xiqiu walked out and asked the servant at the door, "Who else is in the study?"

"Second Master Lou is also there." The servant replied.

Xiqiu nodded, then turned to Madam Jiang, "I will visit Fourth Sister for a while. Sister-in-law, please take a rest." Madam Jiang agreed and had someone escort Xiqiu and Zhi to Tong Xiyan’s place."